Of Things That Would Never Be
by Blond Gamer Girl
Summary: A warlock promises Buffy a vacation to meet her true love. He promises Spike a revelation to be found in London. What trickery is the warlock playing? Will Buffy love someone she only feels hatred for? Spuffy. Please R&R. This is my first Spuffy.
1. Something Warlock This Way Comes

Of things that would never be: such were the thoughts on the Slayer's mind as she absently twirled her wooden stake in her hand. Stifling a potential depression but not the accompanying boredom, Buffy slumped down on a rather large headstone. _Too much quietness in the cemetery tonight, maybe I could have attended the 'We survived another Saturday fling' hosted by the ever popular Cordelia. Popularity and carefree parties: now there's something I miss and will never have, so much for having a life._

Privately, Buffy celebrated her own pity party. _Save people, kill demons and what do I get in return: a boyfriend who well I don't know if he's REALLY my boyfriend? Well, once I lose my virginity to him maybe he'll stop being so evasive. How does a cheating psychopath like Drusilla get a hot monogamous doting caring boyfriend who sticks with her for like a century? Spike with that chiseled body, piercing blue eyes and cheekbones that should be illegal, not to mention sexy bad boy attitude…oh and dreamy accent. Wait a minute; Spike hot…no evil…EVIL. Bad Buffy! Too bad he died in that church. That's the reason you're thinking of him; you would have rather fought him to the end …of Mr. Pointy, a worthy fight for a worthy opponent. _

Deciding not to dwell, Buffy circled the cemetery once more when she heard a deep British male voice. "Bollocks!" echoed through the air followed by thumps and cracks.

Excitedly she chased the noises, coming to a halt at an unusual scene. Before her, a man wearing a black leather Nauru styled jacket dusted a vampire with a stake. Not far away, two more vampires charged at him. Instinctively, Buffy intercepted but before she could take three steps, the man shot two balls of flame at them instantly dusting them. Momentarily, he turned to her and smiled as he shook vampire dust off himself. "Sodding vampires," he muttered, "Always getting dust everywhere." Upon closer inspection, Buffy could see that he had a medium but muscled physique with wavy light brown hair pulled into a short ponytail at the base of his neck, high cheekbones and an aristocratic nose. "Allo, M…ma'am," he greeted.

_I am so NOT a ma'am_. "Who are you and what are you?"

"I'm a warlock, can't tell you who I am, though."

A chill ran down Buffy's spine as she readied her stake. Not that it would do much good against a warlock. "What do you want?"

"Your happiness," he calmly answered. "Please lower your weapon. I don't fancy disintegrating it."

"Stop with the games," she stated tersely. "Warlocks are evil."

"Stereotype much," he mused. "While I wouldn't classify myself as good, I'm definitely not evil."

Buffy lowered her weapon but not her guard. "What do you want from me?"

"Unlike everyone else in your life, I want nothing from you. I want to offer you something instead." Sid took a seat on one of the larger headstones nearby. "You protect the innocents from the Hellmouth and you get nothing in return. I'm offering you what you wish for."

"Oh yeah," Buffy half snorted. "Like making a deal with the devil, I get that but actually I find that I like my life here better, people I love get killed because of what I want, some demon get released or gets more powerful. How close am I?"

"Not even close," he answered. "Nothing bad will happen. All I am offering you is a vacation that will last a year and a day. After that, you'll be back here tomorrow evening. I'll even patrol for you. Trust me you really need this break or your future looks pretty dismal."

For some reason Buffy felt a slight connection to this warlock that she couldn't explain and sensed that she could trust him. _Must be a spell of some kind._ "If I believe you and I'm not saying that I do, what do you mean by dismal and don't give me prophecy and riddles."

"I'm not one for prophecy and riddles like the Council of Wankers…err Watchers. However, I can't give you explicit details." When he saw, Buffy roll her eyes he continued. "It's not a good idea to know everything about your future. You need some surprises. Besides, the future is what you make of it."

Buffy threw her hands in the air. "Whatever," she exclaimed as she turned away from him.

"Do you really want to know about the future?"

"Duh, I wouldn't be asking if I didn't. Talking to you is so NOT a good idea." Buffy shook her head slowly. This guy spelled trouble.

"Some of the things you wish for you get, even though you still face many desperate situations but the trouble is you."

"What," she said incredulously. Turning, she saw he perched himself on a tall marble mausoleum, possibly to get out of the way of bodily harm or show off his levitation skills.

"You become bitter, dead inside." Sid looked down, averting his saddened eyes. "You want someone to love you and stand by your side. You get that and you love him very much and he loves you but you….never mind."

"I what….I lose Angel because of some stupid prophecy," she continued. Buffy paced the grounds angrily.

"No, it's not Angel. Angel is only puppy love. By the time you get to know this man, you have already changed. You ….abuse him. For his part, he's been love's bitch for so long that he feels he deserves it." Sid refused to look at her instead choosing to twiddle his thumbs. Using an enchanted crystal bowl filled with water from the Dead Sea, his visions showed him the relationship between Buffy and Spike, especially after her resurrection. "The abuse is verbal and physical." A disgusted look crossed his face. "Both of you are guilty at times," he muttered.

While her mind reeled over the thought of her becoming an abuser, Buffy's mind blocked out the last part of what he said. "I what," she replied in a shaky voice. If she landed a terrific guy, even a not so terrific one, Buffy doubted she could ever be the monster this warlock described. Plus what she felt for Angel wasn't puppy love, wasn't it?

"It's true. Later he dies saving you, saving the world. You tell him you love him but by then he doesn't believe you." Visions showed him the destruction of the Hellmouth with Spike burning in flames not believing Buffy's declaration of love.

"So I become a monster like the ones I slay," she deduced.

"No, you still fight the good fight but you die inside, bit by bit." Sid felt his heart sink as he remembered his visions. "Your lover is actually resurrected but he never returns to you because of ….the way things were. He believed you were better off without him and that you never truly loved him. You never find true love again."

As she watched her companion's reactions, Buffy saw pain etched in his faced. "Is he…was he you? Are you trying to change the past to make us work?"

"No, I'm not him. That's not possible." Sid's shoulders slumped. "Your lover is my ...friend…best friend sometimes. You both are in the future."

"By giving me what I want, I won't become the person you described. You're trying to save us, aren't you?"

"Yes, if you'll let me."

"Why?"

"You both mean a lot to me." Sid looked up hopeful this time. "Only you can change you and I can't just give you what you want on a silver platter. However, I can engineer the circumstances so you have the opportunity to know him before its too late, sort of a pre-emptive first chance."

"Like some sort of fairy godmother," she surmised.

Sid heartily laughed so much so that he nearly fell off the mausoleum roof. "Last I looked my bits wouldn't allow me to be any sort of mother but I can see your point."

"Why don't you just force me to do this?"

"Unlike everyone else in your life, I'm giving you a choice." Sensing no more hostility, he levitated to the ground.

Despite the nagging feeling in the back of her mind, Buffy didn't want to become the person he described and she felt she could trust this warlock but she knew better than t jump the gun. "Can I meet you here tomorrow night? I want to consult my watcher about this."

Sid lifted his sleeve to reveal a watch that looked more like a sun dial. "I don't have much time. It's now or never."

Buffy looked at the odd looking pointer that looked like it moved toward noon. "What happens when that thingy goes straight up and down?"

"I am no more."

"Is that why you're helping? You need to do some good deeds to get into heaven or something."

Sid shifted nervously from one foot to the other. "Something like that, if I'm lucky."

"Well then, let's do this."

"Right, time to work my mojo," he replied cheerfully. "First, I'm going to bind your slayer abilities so you don't accidently kill anyone." A bright purple light shot forth from his hand encircling her like a mummy encased in violet yarn.

Buffy gasped. "But what if something attacks me?"

"Your abilities will return temporarily if you are in danger." Then a small grey cloud shot forth from his hand and encircled her head. "Just breathe normally. This will put you into the correct mindset for your adventure."

In a bright flash of light, Buffy disappeared.

In a dilapidated warehouse, a lone vampire sat in an old fashioned wheel chair, hand resting against his chin while bright moon beams illuminated his pale nearly gaunt visage. His peroxide locks almost glowed in the moonlight. Staring forlornly and the old book on his lap, he flipped another page causing him to once more sneer in disgust, first at his chipped black nail polish, then to his battered legs and finally resting on the four day old corpse of some guv in the corner. The foul odor of the corpse assailed Spike's senses once more. When Dru brought him this meal, it had been after several days of famine and half drained already. Spike needed more blood, much more in order to heal. Once more, he resumed reading the old fashioned book of fairy tales, a gift to Dru from a Christmas years before.

Suddenly, he saw a flash of blue flames consume the corpse leaving it a pile of dust. Spike wheeled back instinctively since vampires and flames didn't mix well. Then some sprigs of sage slowly burned on top of the dust dissipating the horrid odor of before. As he backed up, his wheels bumped against something. A blue cooler had appeared behind him with a note affixed to the top. "Thought you could use this," signed "A Friend."

For a moment Spike studied the note while he debated whether or not to open the cooler. The scent of blood wafted from it causing his demon to beg for food. Inside, Spike found several bags of human blood, all slightly past their expiration dates with some freezer packs to keep them fresh. One last lucid thought crossed his mind before his demon couldn't be denied. _Whoever gave me this probably set the corpse on fire which they could have easily done to me so the blood should be safe._ Shifting into game face he devoured all but one of them leaving not one drop to waste. Now completely gorged, Spike relaxed against his chair snoozed as the sun crested in the horizon. For today, he healed.

After polishing off the last bit of blood, the next evening Spike stretched his legs before he carefully got up, using his arms to lift himself. Despite a wobbly start and throbbing to searing pains shooting through his spine, he stood. Dru had not returned but it didn't surprise him. _Time to entertain myself._ Knowing the slayer's soft heart, he knew he could watch her tonight and she wouldn't attack him, especially if he kept a safe distance.

_Covered in slayer, Bollocks!_ Dru's words persistently echoed in Spike's head as the bleach blond vampire hobbled through the cemetery. _Once I kill the slayer everything will be fine. I'll prove my dark princess wrong._ While he wouldn't agree with Dru, pictures of the striking green eyed petite blond slayer continually plagued him. _Maybe a shag first._ Spike knew he could seduce the slayer. While most of his over one hundred years with Dru were monogamous, every time she cheated he retaliated with like. This time he was due. Cheating on him while he sat in that wheelchair definitely deserved reciprocation.

Spike thought of the slayer patrolling and fighting giving way to a constriction of his jeans. _Yup, it still works._ In a few days, he would challenge her to the fight of her life. Spike's musings ended abruptly when he saw a teenage whelp standing atop a mausoleum using his fingers to form an imaginary gun to shoot a fireball through a fledgling, instantaneously dusting her. _Magic user who thinks he's John Wayne: I hate magic users._ Strangely, the wavy haired whelp had no scent or rather masked it. Then the whelp turned and his green eyes scrutinized Spike but without malice.

"Allo Spike," he greeted.

"Have we met?"

"Not really, name's Sid," he replied.

While Spike didn't recognize him, he recognized his accent as being gentrified and British. "Where's the slayer?"

"On holiday for a bit," he replied. "I'm covering for her. No worries though, she wouldn't want me to harm you."

"S'pose she wants to keep me for herself," Spike muttered.

"More or less," he acknowledged.

Since the boy didn't wear tweed, a clear indication of a watcher, Spike's curiosity got the better of him. _Maybe the council recruited their watchers a little younger these days._ "Are you a watcher?"

"No I have nothing to do with those pompous lazy sods and before you ask I have nothing to do with the poof either."

Hearing Sid's opinion on the council and Angelus, Spike decided he was halfway to liking this bloke despite the magic. "So who are you in league with?"

"Not s'pose to tell," he replied. "Did you enjoy your gift last night?"

"Yes, why did you help me?"

"In the future, we're friends, best friends even." Sid pulled his collar back to reveal two fang marks that Spike recognized all too well. "You don't believe me do you?"

"No," Spike replied. _Time traveler from the future: I'm dealing with a Doctor Who wannabe_.

"Hmmm, how do I prove it to you without revealing too much?" Sid paced in front of Spike, oblivious to or too trusting of the master vampire. "I need something personal that no one else knows about." Suddenly, his face lit up. "On June 7, 1977, I know where you weren't but where you wanted to be. The Sex Pistols cruised the Thames in the most defining and famous moment of punk history singing God Save the Queen, mocking the processional that was to be two days later for her birthday."

Now, he was intrigued and slightly convinced. Spike never confided that to anyone even Drusilla. "What?"

"You will eventually see it. I bring us back to that time and to that event for your birthday." Sid dug through his wallet and produced a picture of them, a punked up Sid with flaming red hair and Spike with his platinum locks standing next to the band, both grinning. In a brotherly fashion, Spike's arm hung around the boy's shoulders. "Don't worry about changing the future. Once I leave, your memories of me and our conversations will become very blurry. It's an affect I have unless I'm in my own time."

Friends: something Spike lacked even in his mortal life and with Angelus as a _friend_ who needed enemies. However, apparently he confided in this whelp and even claimed him in a _this is my happy meal so sod off_ to other vampires way. Grimacing, Spike leaned against a tree and slid down until he sat.

"You're not fully healed." Sid rolled up his sleeve and offered an elbow. "My blood doesn't have the healing properties like a slayer but its close."

"I could drain you dry." Spike shifted into game fame.

"You wouldn't do that to a friend."

In a euphoric haze, Spike sucked slowly. A mystical energy akin to a mild electric pulse went through him targeting his spine. Then he stopped, waited a moment and hopped up. "That did the trick, thanks mate. Your blood is different than other witches' or warlocks' I've drained…tasted."

Sid laughed at his slip up. "Most all of them call upon a demon or god so they can channel their power. I was born with some magic inside me, a little gift from the Powers That Be. However, I need to recharge unlike my brethren." Sid reached in his pocket and withdrew a ring. "I have something for you."

Spike could see the green gem embedded in the gaudy ring. "Is that the Gem of Amarra?"

"The one and only and it's yours. If you like I can bind it to you."

"Thank you," he said. Spike slid the ring around his finger. _Why would a time travelling warlock give this to me?_ "I die in the future and this will save me. That's why you're giving this to me now, isn't it?"

"Can't tell you that," he replied. "Swallow it. Go on. If I bind it to your finger, everyone will know you have it. If they're industrious enough, they'll chop off your finger. You're not completely impervious to all magic."

_What have I got to lose?_ After he swallowed the ring, Sid shot a thread of maroon light at him that danced around and through him almost like magical sutures. Spike noticed weariness in his newfound friend. "You need rest."

Sid nodded. "Before I forget, you need to go to the Knightsbridge branch of The Bank of England and check deposit box 818. There's something important there. Write it down or you'll forget once I leave. Seriously, your memory of me and the things I tell you will fade."

Despite being evil and the fantastic things Sid told him, Spike couldn't help but like this bloke; no matter how hard he tried not to. However, he could tell that the whelp hid things from him still. "There's more going on here isn't there."

"I forgot your insightfulness." Sid gave him a date almost eighteen years into the future. "Memorize it. I mean repeat it back to yourself continually so you can remember this exact spot. It's important. As a matter of fact, you really need to go to Willy's and get someone to transport you to London now and open that deposit box before you forget."

"Very well then," Spike conceded. "But first, tell me what's so bloody important about that date."

Sid paled. "That's the day I'm killed."

"You're a warlock. You could go back in time. You could." Spike didn't know the answer to this conundrum.

"I have my limits. Soon I will snap back to the time and place where I left. They bound my other powers but they never knew this one. Once I return, I'll be too weak to try again."

The whelp still held back information and Spike knew it was BIG. "There's more that you're not telling me."

Sid handed him the picture once more. "Look very closely at you and me. What do you see?"

As Spike looked at it, his insightfulness forced him to see what he chose to ignore earlier. For all of his evil and being a demon, the shred of William that remained allowed him to love, deeply. On that picture of a Spike and Sid having the time of their lives, he saw within his own eyes love, deep love. "You sodding warlock. You cast a love spell on me and turned me into a poof." Spike's demon emerged thirsting for revenge. "Sod the future." One clawed hand pulled the boy up by his collar while the other drew back to swipe the boy across the jugular.

"Father please," Sid squeaked out.

Spike stopped short and just stared at the young trembling warlock in his grasp. Wavy very light brown hair, full lips, high cheekbones and a slight but powerful built: all those features belonged to William of mortal years. William the Pathetic who had only one sexual encounter during his mortal years: an exclusive red headed lovely whore. The experience shamed him instead of giving him the confidence he desired. "You should be older but…you're a warlock…controlling time…controlling your own age." He withdrew his claws and sat his son down gently. All his life, Spike wanted to belong and be loved. _William did, the pathetic ponce_. "I'm sorry."

Sid sat with his knees to his chest, arms crossed and head buried, still trembling. "Just do as I asked please. Recite that date and get to London now."

Spike reeled at this revelation and the son who now feared him. "I would never hurt you. I didn't know."

"Please go now and recite the date before it's too late." Sid muffled words rang louder as he continued to tremble. "Go to London. She's waiting for you. You wanted the slayer. Go now. She can help you defeat Angelus on that date and save me." Sid felt his father's hand on his shoulder. "Please don't let me die at the hands of Angelus."

Immediately Spike left for Willy's fully intent on doing exactly what his son wanted. Parting was easy knowing they would meet in the future. There was no way Spike would let his son die at the hands of Angelus.

Minutes later, Sid raised his head with an impish grin. _I must be the world's greatest liar. _


	2. Peonies and Parasols

Chapter 2 Peonies and Parasols

Suddenly Buffy's memories of Sunnydale became a cloudy dream replaced by knowledge of olden times. In a whirl wind of magic, Elisabeth Sommersby of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania became a reality and Buffy Summers a mere dream. Elisabeth stood before a rather tall Victorian home. The brick architecture rounded arched windows and flowery shrubs in the front yard seemed normal to her, as if she belonged. The clomping of hooves upon cobblestones echoed behind her while the scent of fresh baked bread and flowers wafted in the air. Several trunks and a hat box sat of the ground next to her. A lacey white parasol lay atop the luggage. Nervously, she looked down to see that she wore corseted ruffled dress of pink and white. _*I'm here to visit my second cousins Mr. and Mrs. Heath and Rose Sommersby for a very long stay and to be introduced to society. Why do I feel like I'm in a play or something?*_

After several taps on the knocker, a young servant girl only a few years older than her opened it and curtseyed. Elisabeth removed a calling card from her purse which she handed to the girl. White, violet and pink peonies adorned the train car shaped card that bore her name and address: her favorite flower and colors with the train denoting how the Sommersby's made their modest fortune. "Hello, I'm Elisabeth Sommersby." The knowledge seemed odd to her as if it weren't her own.

The girl ushered her into the parlor adorned with a red Persian rug, two sleigh sofas and a small tea table. An older stately woman with salt and pepper hair wearing a dress similar to hers but in navy greeted her. "Elisabeth, I don't know if you remember me. I'm your cousin Rose."

"Hello Cousin Rose, I do vaguely from when I was a child." The memories seemed foggy but there. She clasped the woman's hands. "Thank you for letting me stay with you." For some strange reason, Elisabeth knew proper etiquette but it seemed like she read it somewhere.

"You are quite welcome, my dear. With my oldest daughter married and living in the countryside, I could use the company." She joined Rose on the sofa. "Saturday night we're invited to Lord Wellington's Ball. Everyone is looking forward to meeting you. You're such a lovely girl. I'm sure you'll make quite an impression." Concern crossed Rose's features. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Before you came here, you had that nasty fall. Your guardian said you didn't wake up for a week."

"Sometimes I feel strange but I'm OK." _*That explains everything.*_

That evening over a dinner of sausages and mashed potatoes, Heath, Rose's husband, joined them, a slightly rotund balding man jovially chatted with them in the rather dark candlelit room. They discussed the weather, upcoming balls and other social gatherings. "How was work?"

Rose looked at her sharply. "That sort of conversation is not polite for ladies."

Elisabeth looked down and continued to nibble.

A few hours after dinner followed by more chit chat in the parlor, Elisabeth retired for the evening in her ivory and creamy orange striped small bed chamber. As she combed her long blond hair in the mirror, she giggled at her cotton white nightgown that covered her from head to toe. _*You sexy thing.*_

The next morning she enjoyed a hot bath to thanking above for the recent invention of indoor plumbing. At first she didn't realized they had an indoor tub since it looked like a large wooden chest while the commode remained hidden behind a curtain. _*During these times, people were ashamed of such fixtures whereas a hundred years later, they were exalted.* _Strangely, Elisabeth felt that she knew that but had never experienced it. Moreover, she knew that the attic contained the water tank so the water could be heated and let gravity do the work to provide running water. A furnace in the basement provided central heating through convection. _* How did I know that? Is this the result of my accident?*_

By the time Saturday night rolled around, Elisabeth's cabin fever reached new heights making her anxious for tonight's ball. Rose approved of her lilac lightly bustled layered dress trimmed in white lace with gloves and fan to match. One of the maids helped her arranged her blond hair into a braided up do with cascading ringlets decorated with miniature silk lilac peonies.

After a brief jostling carriage ride, the pulled up to a grand manor home elaborately decorated in spring time colored paper lamps. The scent of gardenias and roses filtered through the air while lanterns and candles gave the manor a warm luminescence. Within the marble ballroom, Lord Wellington a tall dark haired rather handsome gentleman in his late thirties greeted his guests as they arrived. As Elisabeth offered her hand, his brown eyes roved over her hungrily while his manners remained polite. Gentleman in top hats and tales chatted around him taking note of the Sommersby's new young charge. She politely moved on with Rose guiding her towards the other young ladies while Heath joined a group of gentlemen his age not far away.

Cecily Newton a beautiful raven hair lady one year older than Elisabeth led the passel of ladies who chatted about the latest fashion and which of the gentry made the best marriage prospect. At first, Elisabeth chatted with them until Cecily steered the conversation towards poking fun at the other ladies who couldn't afford the latest fashion or accessories. Soon the gold embossed dance cards were handed out. Before anyone else could approach her, Lord Wellington bowed before her and requested the first dance which she graciously accepted. Between the dance requests from Lord this, Earl that and Sir Whatever, Elisabeth's head spun while a jealous sneer crossed Cecily's face which she quickly hid behind her peach lace fan.

While her dance partners were polite and handsome, Elisabeth found them bland. All wore their dark hair slicked back, had similarly trimmed mustaches and dressed in almost the same style of long tale tuxes. A vision of orange dwarfish characters that looked alike flashed before her eyes. _*Oompa Loompa much. Now where did that come from?*_

Then she saw him: wavy light brown hair to run her fingers through, cheekbones to die for, piercing blue eyes that could look right through her, full lips made for kissing and spectacles which she found oddly adorable. This slender built stranger she guessed to be around twenty-four. While she couldn't define it, he had a something that attracted her and an odd familiarity. Enjoying a break in the dancing, she coyly looked over at him in a silent invitation for dancing. For a brief moment, he glanced up and caught her eye but then he turned to the rest of his group and resumed talking.

Rose approached her. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes," she answered. "Who is that gentleman over there with the wavy hair and spectacles?"

"That is William Pratt. Though his family has a modest fortune, he is not titled. One the other hand Lord Wellington has quite the fortune and has taken a great interest in you."

Elisabeth glanced over again but found he had his back to the crowd talking his intellectual looking crowd.

"In case you're wondering, we call them the Oxford crew as you can probably tell. We'll be leaving in an hour."

Sunday after a dull sermon from an aged vicar at the nearby chapel, Elisabeth decided to enjoy the sunny afternoon with a long stroll. Wearing a comfortable light green flowered dress without cumbersome skirts and corset, Elisabeth carried her wicker picnic basket along breezing by other Londoners including ladies who greeted her with disapproving looks for her impropriety.

After a bit, she came to a park with a huge lake that twisted around at several points to almost form its own rivers around miniature islands. From her vantage point, she could see beach areas as well as shorelines covered with so many trees that they looked like they grew from the water. Every now and then a skiff would float by. Several ducks quacked as they swam around. Not far away, she spotted a huge oak tree where she put her picnic basket and shoes before skipping off to wade in the water. Now she felt free. Every once in awhile, folks rowed by giving her odd looks but she didn't care that they saw her hiked up skirt.

Guided by a growling stomach, she made her way back to the tree to relax. From the other side of the tree, she heard someone plop on the ground but they remained quiet. Several azure butterflies flew around the tree with one landing on her picnic basket. Up close, white outlined the blue of the fuzzy looking butterfly. "I've never seen a blue butterfly. I wonder what kind you are."

"Mazarine blue," a deep sexy male voice quietly responded in a gentrified accent.

"Thank you," she answered. "We don't have them where I'm from."

"I believe they're only found in England."

Once her winged friend flew off the picnic basket, she set out her spread. "Grrr, I can't believe I forgot to bring honey. I'm such a ditz." She didn't like tea without honey. Just in the corner of her vision, a manicured male hand held a tiny round honey pot and a wood honey dipper. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he responded.

"Cheese, grapes, or chicken," she said.

"Pardon," he responded.

"Which is your favorite?"

"Cheese," he replied. Elisabeth put a slice of cheese on a napkin and reached around the tree. "You don't owe me."

"I just wanna share."

"Very well and thank you," he said. "Do you like strawberries?"

"Yes," she answered. Instantly, her handkerchief came back around with several strawberries. By the time they finished, her anonymous benefactor and she shared half each other's picnic with her giving him even more so she wouldn't have to carry anything home. "What's the name of this park?"

"This is Battersea Park."

The sun started to set in the sky so she quickly packed. Her cousins expected her home for a traditional Sunday roast. "Later, I have to run."

While she enjoyed her small vacation, soon Elisabeth grew bored with each passing day. On Wednesday, she ventured to the city looking at the various shops. Since it wouldn't due for a single young woman of Elisabeth's age to be alone, Rose escorted her properly. Several young men passed them tilting their hats respectfully. The cobblestone streets bustled with horse drawn carriages. The wide sidewalks had several ladies pushing baby carriages and couples ambling along. The gentleman always walked on their ladies' sides closest to the street. Children stood on corners hustling newspapers. Various shops from bakeries, butchers, apothecaries to tailors seemed surreal like she had only seen them in paintings. The fashion houses held the most interest for Elisabeth.

One of the French fashion house boasted fashion forward dresses which scared away older patrons while intriguing the younger ones. Their dresses showed ankles. Elisabeth ventured in despite admonishment from Rose. While she purchased a lovely peacock hat, she noticed they advertised for part time help three days a week with weekends off at minimal pay. With a little manipulation, she got the job to be paid in clothing. That helped the week pass quickly but not Saturday at the opera which she attended with her cousins so they could all enjoy the box seats that Lord Wellington had reserved.

That Sunday Elisabeth dressed down in another simple dress and left for the park. After wading in the water, she climbed the tree above where she had her picnic basket. Because of the thickness of the leaves, she could barely see the outline of the gentleman who sat opposite just like the Sunday prior. She wondered if it was the same man. With a loud thud, she hopped down to her side of the tree.

"Dear lord!" shouted a familiar male voice.

"That was just me jumping down. I climbed to the top."

"That's dangerous, especially for a lady."

"It's liberating and I can climb better than any man." She rummaged through her picnic basket. "That's why I come here. I'm tired of all the rules."

"Rules prevent anarchy."

"Whatever," she replied. "Rules are so ugh and everyone is so proper. No one ever says what they mean here."

A sandwich popped up from the other side of the tree. "Propriety restricts and binds us to a set of rules that no one questions and prevents free thinking."

"Exactly," she stated. "Everyone keeps pushing me to do what they want." She bit into the peanut butter and jam sandwich.

"What are they pushing you to do?"

"Well, last night I had to go to the opera with a man I don't like. Opera and me non mixy," she said. "Wait a sec; I'm not sure I should tell you. I mean I don't know anything about you or even who you are. Well maybe I shouldn't know who you are so we can keep talking, all anonymous like." She bit into her sandwich and thought a moment. "I know. You tell me one of your secrets but not a bad one."

"Well, I write poetry."

"That's nothing to be embarrassed about. I should be embarrassed because I don't understand it. Me and Shakespeare don't get along."

"Shakespeare is beautifully written but yes a little difficult to read." He passed her a strawberry Danish. "I think that makes us even with secrets unless you have something sordid to tell me."

"Nothing dirty, just embarrassing," she conceded. "I don't know you well enough to tell you though."

"Maybe by next Sunday we'll know each other well enough," he stated.

Elisabeth read her magazine during which time her companion remained quiet. Every now and then she heard scribbling and a page turning until near dusk when they parted ways anonymously.

The following Saturday evening Elisabeth along with Heath and Rose attended a game night hosted by Lord and Lady Brooks. In the small manor home, the handsome couple chatted with their guests in the living room adorned with several portraits of them and their three children. As Elisabeth studied the portraits of the happy family, deep down, she knew that a future like that would never happen to her. She was to die alone and young in a warrior's death because she had no choice. _*Why don't I have a choice? I want happiness.*_

"Miss Elisabeth, would you join us for a game of charades?"

She glanced up to Lord Wellington. "That sounds nice." Through a doorway, she saw William Pratt sitting with a smaller group of gentlemen puzzling over something.

"They're working on brain teasers and puzzles." Lord Wellington patted his mouth in a mock yawn. "Intellectual snobs," he whispered.

_*No wonder he wouldn't speak to me. I haven't completed any form of education.* _Frowning, she followed as he led her to the area where the charades group gathered.

After charades and musical chairs, they played Blind Man's Bluff. Once all the objects that could be tripped over were removed, they blind folded Elisabeth and spun her around five times. "Stop!" she exclaimed. Everyone stopped moving, most already having found their hiding places. She extended her arms and cautiously stepped forth. A giggle here and a chuckle there alerted her to various presences. Each one she called out by name, pointed in that direction and stated how many feet they were away. Five steps later she felt a solid male chest beneath her fingertips. Lifting the blind fold, she gazed into the smiling face of Lord Wellington.

"You caught me Elisabeth," he drawled. Nodding over his shoulder to the Oxford bunch, he blocked the doorway where William stood just behind him a few feet away. "Good thing too, you wouldn't want to disturb them with our silly games."

Several of the gentlemen glance up in amusement but William looked their way with pure anger before humbly lowering his eyes. "Sure, silly me," she replied and walked back to the other group.

Towards the end of the evening, Lord Wellington escorted her and her cousins to their carriage. He bowed as he kissed her hand for a slightly extended period of time.

As the carriage pulled away, Rose waved to him. "His intentions are clear and he is a fine catch. You'd do well to encourage him."

"Whatever," she muttered as she rested her against the back of the carriage.

The next day Elisabeth packed some egg salad sandwiches in her picnic basket and raced out to enjoy her day at the park. After she arrived, she placed her basket in her usual spot beneath the tree. Today she wore some boy's trousers she purchased and a hat to hide her hair in. While she loved all the dresses and finery, she had the urge to run, fight, climb or at least do something so she did. By the time lunch time came, she ran back to her side of the tree. On top of her picnic basket, she found a tiny painting of a blue butterfly.

"Thank you," she said to the other side of the tree without looking.

"You're welcome." Half of a ham sandwich came from around the tree.

She extended half her egg salad. "This is nice having a surprise meal on Sundays."

"Indeed it is. Today, I have a treat for desert, blueberry torte."

"But I didn't bring any desert so I have nothing to share," she countered.

"I have more than enough." For awhile they ate in silence. "Are you alright over there?"

Elisabeth couldn't help but think about the night before. "I hate men….but not you."

"I'm honored ….I think. Why do you hate men?" Silence followed. "If some sod hurt you," he started irately.

_*This will get sticky.* _"No one hurt me." A small plate and fork appeared from around the tree with a slice blueberry torte. "I can't tell you. You wouldn't understand." The plate started to withdraw. "Alright, I'll tell you." The torte returned. "There's a gentleman I wanted to meet but he refused to ask me to dance because I'm not….."

"Not what," he started but paused. "Of high enough status," he continued.

"It's embarrassing."

"Go on tell me," he pleaded.

"You wouldn't understand."

"Believe me, I would. I dare not approach the girl I wanted to meet because she desires someone of a much higher station but it doesn't matter now. So tell me why you think this man isn't interested."

"Not smart enough," she said sullenly.

"Then he's a git."

"It's OK. I mean I like talking to you." During his silence, she nibbled her torte and realized her faux pas. "I'm sorry. That was too forward or something right?"

"Yes but its refreshing. How about we forget about your problem and mine so to speak?"

"You're right. Forget that stupid William Pratt 'I'm so smart' snob," she muttered.

Silverware clanking to the ground rang through the air. "Pardon," he stated. Standing above her was none other than William Pratt.

"Oh my God," she muttered.


	3. Pratt, William Pratt

A/N – THANKS to everyone who has reviewed and favorited: Snowdove30, Seapea, lisape, Ruke the saki fairy, Hermione2be, xxkayaxx, Mina Ina Cooper, jalewis, Abby Cadabara

I appreciate the support especially since I am new to the Spuffy fanfiction. I'm interested to hear thoughts and opinions. My take on William is a bit different.

Chapter 3 Pratt, William Pratt

Several weeks ago, William Pratt reviewed the purchase agreement for some property in Knightsbridge. The money spent would be recovered within ten years based on the tenant's rent leaving the property free and clear. For the Pratt family, the antiquities trade provided new wealth for William's father and now him as part of an emerging wealthy class brought on by commerce. But like others in his situation, titles held favor for most.

Justin showed William a list of farms for purchase. "Will you be attending Lord Wellington's ball?"

"Only because of some of our old chums will be there," he replied. "I suppose Jane Nestaun will be there."

"I can only hope." Justin leaned back in his chair and absently stroked his dark mustache. "Are you ever going to approach Cecily?"

While he ran his hand through his wavy hair, William shifted in his chair and quickly glanced down. "She would never speak to me."

"You danced with her at the masque ball a few months ago."

"That was different." William checked off a few of the farms that interested him.

"Hiding behind a mask is liberating." Justin removed another stack of paperwork from his desk for William to review.

"Yes, it is." William remembered the evening well. Behind the mask, he didn't worry about his actions or views gaining disfavor amongst the traditional crowd which ultimately could hurt his family's reputation and affect their business dealings as well. Further, no one snubbed him for lack of title. Indeed, it was the most liberating experience he ever knew.

"You manage your affairs better than most of the aristocracy."

Glancing up at his friend, William pushed back his spectacles. "The formula is simple. Income must exceed expenses." Realizing the time, William hastily stashed the papers in his valise. "Sorry to be of trouble," he muttered. "Thank you for staying late on my behalf," he stated. As he left he said, "Goodbye."

"It's only a few minutes. Besides, we're friends." Justin shook his head. "Farewell William," he called.

That evening after his meal, William gazed around at his rather large home: five bedrooms with one for him and one for his mother who now spent a few months with her friends in the country. All he wanted was a wife to share it with and if heaven granted it, his own family. Most of the gentry married to improve their social standing but he couldn't imagine sharing his life with only a friend or acquaintance as his wife. Ever the romantic, he hoped to meet his soul-mate one day but he pushed such private romantic notions aside.

Then William retired to his study and removed his journal from a hidden drawer in his desk. Reading politically charged papers considered improper by the aristocracy, he wrote some of his thoughts about reform. First, he expressed his support for the working class including the new child labor law that prevented children under nine from working in factories. Other papers touted that women should be treated as equals. Secretly, he wrote his supportive thoughts on those revolutionary ideas as well. Afterwards, he escaped into his poetry: a boundless world which William flourished in.

Several evenings later amongst the twinkling stars in breezy ebony night sky, Venus, the astrological planet of love, shined brighter than the rest. _*This is serendipitous for Justin and his plans to approach Jane this evening. I wish I had his bravery.* _William strolled into Lord Wellington's manor eager to see some of his professors and chums from Oxford.

All thoughts of Cecily left William when he saw HER: honey blond hair, delicate features, lovely green eyes and possessing a certain something that riled him in a most embarrassing way. Immediately, he thought of all things grotesque to tame the beast below the belt before anyone noticed. Another group of gentlemen of noble birth apparently noticed the gorgeous new arrival as well, especially Lord Wellington. Seeing the long line to sign Elisabeth's dance card and moreover the aristocracy in that line, William never bothered approaching her.

During a small break in the dancing, William's hopes soared when he thought he caught a mildly flirtatious glance his way from the beguiling American girl. When he noticed several eligible Lords loitering nearby, his heart sank with the realization that she meant for them to notice her not someone as undeserving as him. _*Well, she's interested in someone with a title I'm sure.*_

The next day after church, William gathered his picnic lunch and his journal and went to Battersea Park. Beneath his favorite tree, he relaxed with his journal awaiting inspiration. That afternoon he chatted with an American girl who possessed a rather cute way of expressing herself which amused him. Even though he didn't understand some of her peculiar Americanisms, he got the general idea. Since a proper lady wouldn't be out unescorted, he wondered if she was married or simply didn't care. Either way, her carefree attitude captivated him.

The following Sunday, the American girl showed up once more by jumping out of a tree. Despite his concern for her safety, he secretly admired her lack of concern about propriety. Based on that, he wondered if she was the daughter of middle-class American tourists, not that class mattered to him. The anonymity between them allowed him comfort that he never had speaking to women. The red oak tree became his mask with his newfound companion.

On Saturday, William attended a party hosted by his friends Lord Byron and Lady Millicent Brooks. Often he had business dealings with Byron over the past few years. Several dinner invites led to an eventual a friendship. Often, he envied the loving couple and their cherished family. This evening he heard through the grapevine that Lord Wellington's pursuit of Miss Sommersby commenced.

During a game of Blind Man's Bluff, Lord Wellington intercepted Elisabeth as she stumbled towards him, dashing William's hopes of meeting her. Not only did William anger over that but also at the fact that Lord Wellington pursued an innocent girl in hopes of a sordid marriage. Wellington's wife died many years prior during childbirth along with the baby but rumors of his affairs outside the marriage still circulated. While many of William's peers felt it appropriate to have a wife to bear their children and keep their homes, they kept a mistress on the side to satisfy their immoral pleasures. He disapproved of this practice. While William knew he wasn't worthy of Elisabeth, he hoped she would soon realize that Wellington wasn't either.

That Sunday William purchased a small painting of a blue butterfly for his Battersea Park companion. While he found Elisabeth intensely desirable physically, he considered his newfound companion, who he nicknamed Butterfly, just as desirable in a manner of friendship. As Butterfly spoke of her trouble with a certain man, William felt a tiny pang of jealousy.

"Forget that stupid William Pratt 'I'm so smart' snob," she muttered.

When he heard that, he dropped his torte and hopped to his feet. "Pardon," he stated as he stood above her.

"Oh my God," she muttered.

What does one say when the object of one's desire and the object of one's budding friendship are the same? Moreover, how should one respond to accusations of snobbery from a girl dressed as a boy? William Pratt stood aghast and tongue tied momentarily as he contemplated those questions. "Snob?" he questioned. The only word he found capable of saying with his comfortable mask of anonymity ripped away.

"Someone told me that you were an intellectual snob." Elisabeth stood up in defiance. "That's why you only speak to your cronies at parties and why you wouldn't ask me to dance."

"No, that's not it." Promptly, he walked to the other side of the tree. He felt he cheeks already burning.

She followed. "Tell me why," she demanded. When he turned the opposite direction, she pursued. They kept at the game until she giggled incessantly. "I can do this all day." And she kept going. "Do you not like girls?"

"I like girls." Soon laughter replaced William's shyness. "Did you dress like a boy because you thought I liked boys?"

Elisabeth crossed her arms. "I like a sense of humor but that doesn't get you off the hook."

"You have much more worthy suitors. I didn't think you would be interested."

"I determine who I want to go out with. That Wellington has a major creep factor." She relaxed against the tree nearly touching him.

"I'm glad you realized that." He looked her up and down. "Seriously, why are you dressed like a boy?"

"The skirts and corset make it impossible to do anything. If you don't believe me, you should try wearing one yourself."

"No, no," he answered softly. "I'll take your word for it."

Her green eyes gazed up at him trying to conceal mischievousness. "There's another ball this Saturday. You are going to dance with me, aren't you?"

Though William knew that he should be appalled by her forwardness, he found it enticing. Further, he found it rubbing off on him. "Only if you accompany me to it but on one condition," he offered.

"Name it," she countered.

"You have to dress like a lady."

"I'll consider it but only on one condition."

"What's that?" William waited with baited breath.

"You have to catch me." Elisabeth darted away.

William followed at top speed. _*This girl can run! I need to start running each morning so I can keep up.* _A bit later, William realized he ran through the park chasing a girl dressed like a boy while several of his fellow Londoners watched skeptically. At that moment, it didn't matter. Later, he found Elisabeth wading in the water so he followed.

She splashed some water at him. "You still haven't caught me."

"Are you going to swim around the entire lake and expect me to pursue?"

She sloshed over to him. "Would you swim after me?"

"Of course," he answered. *You're worth the embarrassment it may cause.*

"You still haven't caught me."

"I'm standing right next to you." _*Does she want me to grab her? That would be inappropriate and far too forward. She might bolt and never speak to me again.*_

She stood next to him shifting from one foot to another. "I have a secret to tell you." She motioned for him to lean down so he did. Instantly, she leapt up and kissed his cheek. *See you Saturday!" she exclaimed.

As she splashed her way out of the water, William touched his cheek and smiled. _*Elisabeth is accompanying me to the ball! Me! William Pratt!* _Immediately, he raced home to plan the proper way to woo of his beautiful butterfly.


	4. Dancing and Deception

A/N – THANKS to everyone who has reviewed and favorited. The encouragement helps me keep focus.: Snowdove30, Seapea, lisape, Ruke the saki fairy, Hermione2be, xxkayaxx, Mina Ina Cooper, jalewis, Abby Cadabara and AshmandaLC

Chapter 4 Dancing and Deception

On Saturday afternoon, Elizabeth combed her hair as she gazed dreamily into the mirror. *I have the perfect boyfriend.*

All week William sent her gifts from confections to flowers but her favorite she kept in the corner of her mirror: a lovely azure card in the shape of a butterfly adorned with ivory lace. The verse he wrote on it warmed her.

**E**nchanting me with her

**L**aughter and smile,

**I**n my dreams

**S**o beautiful and I

**A**dore her so,

**B**ewitching me in

**E**very way and

**T**ruly in my

**H**eart forever more.

Such romantic presents made Elisabeth feel treasured. Unlike other ladies of her time, she couldn't embroider, paint, draw or otherwise make romantic tokens to reciprocate his affections. Rose commented on William's forthrightness with the gifts citing it as too much too soon. Since William was a poet, Elisabeth figured great passion resided behind that cool exterior. The abundant gifts expressed his exuberance. Technically, they had already dated for three weeks anonymously in the park.

She fondly remembered her days at the park with him especially the last one. Ever the gentleman, she practically begged him to kiss her. In a way, she adored William's shyness especially when he blushed. However, at times she just wanted him to kiss her. She hoped that he took the hint that it was alright to kiss her once she kissed him. Often she dreamt of more forward times but accepted the slow romantic pace of these times.

Earlier that week, on Wednesday after sorting through fabric and notions at the dress shop, Monsieur Leveau asked her to wear a rather avant-garde dress to the ball and Elisabeth accepted. The teal fitted dress featured a snug silver bodice and off the shoulder faux sleeves of silver lace. The silver tapered down to the teal skirt in an ornate threaded pattern. The tiered ruffles only hung at the sides and back. Bare shoulders along with a fitted hip-length bodice in the front would surely cause controversy. She couldn't wait for William to see it.

Earlier that week, Heath and Rose met with William. During that meeting, they decided to share a carriage in order to provide a proper escort for William and her. From her window, Elisabeth observed the arrival of William's carriage.

After dawdling for a bit, Elisabeth made her entrance. As she descended the stairs, Rose gasped in shame, Heath puffed his cigar and pure lust flashed in William's cerulean eyes. However, reserved admiration replaced lust by the time she reached the bottom step. She wondered if he noticed the lust in her eyes when she saw him in his black coat which tapered at the waste and flared slightly and the hips along with snug breeches. Heath and Rose exited to the foyer to leave the couple alone but only for a few moments and with the door open.

William kissed her gloved hand. "You're absolutely stunning."

"Thank you," she replied.

"I have something for you." He opened a jewelry box to reveal a silver rope necklace with a teardrop teal gem.

"This is so beautiful. Thank you." She held the perfectly matched necklace to her cleavage. "How did you know?"

"Monsieur Leveau told me the colors but nothing else." William clasped the necklace around her neck.

"You're wonderful William. I've never had such an attentive boyfriend."

"Just…friend," he muttered.

She remembered boyfriend had a different connotation than what she meant. "Much more than a friend," she stated.

As he tucked her hand on his arm, he blushed. "If no one ever lavished you with such attention, they were fools."

Carriages converged on the newly built Royal Albert Hall. Elisabeth studied the marble archways, candle operas and sculptures. A sea of finely dressed couples waltzed to music provided by a small orchestra. Because it was such a large public event, they didn't have dance cards. Some of the older ladies looked as shocked as Rose did when they saw her gown but the younger ones seemed envious. Many of the gentlemen looked upon her with reserved lust. None of it mattered as she gazed into William's eyes. For tonight, he danced with her most every dance. Every once in awhile another gentlemen would ask Elisabeth to dance and she accepted to not be rude. William would allow them a dance citing that it was the price he paid for escorting the most beautiful woman in the world to the ball.

As Lord Wellington danced with a succession of several young ladies, he watched William dance with Elisabeth. She seemed completely infatuated with him; something he didn't understand at all. Moreoever, it was something he couldn't allow. After awhile he made his way over to Rose and nodded towards the couple. "Well, isn't that an interesting match?"

"Elisabeth is very spirited and she has made her choice." Rose waved her yellow fan. "William is an affable young man but a little shy."

"Indeed he is. It's just too bad for me. I should have expressed my intentions towards Elisabeth sooner." Lord Wellington slyly smiled. "It would have been advantageous for us both. You could have been my cousin."

Rose's eyes lit up when she imagined full access to the upper echelons of society with a union between the Wellingtons and their family.

Well into the evening, Elisabeth closed the very polite distance between her and William as they danced. William's smile brightened and he gently caressed her back where his hand rested. That slight action sent tingles down her spine. While he gazed mostly into her eyes, every now and then his eyes stole a glance at her cleavage but she didn't mind. She considered it quite an accomplishment to make William forget himself and act so roguishly. "You're my rogue poet, aren't you?"

"What?" he stated. He looked like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Pardon me," he pleaded bashfully.

"Don't be," she replied flirtatiously. "The necklace was a gift from you. You're entitled to admire the gem all you want." Conveniently, it rested perfectly in her cleavage. "Perhaps when we're alone, you may admire it up close, but only you."

William blushed all the way up to the tips of his ears. "You are a naughty girl Elisabeth."

"I'm your naughty girl William. You seem to bring that out in me."

"Same," he whispered.

Two dances later Lord Wellington tapped William's shoulder. Elisabeth allowed herself to dance with him. However, William's eyes revealed a jealous but controlled rage.

"You look very beautiful tonight."

"Thank you," she replied demurely.

"You've made William quite happy." He discretely glanced over to William who danced with Cecily. "I'm sure he's over his heartache."

"Heartache?"

"For the last several months, he fancied Cecily but I'm sure he's not interested in her anymore. After all, she never returned his attentions." He twirled around so Elisabeth faced the dancing couple but ever so briefly.

Earlier Cecily regarded Elisabeth's new dress with disdain. For the new American girl stole her limelight. Moreover, she stole the attentions of William Pratt. When she saw this debutante preferring William over several wealthier and more advantageous prospects, Cecily wondered what she missed. Purposefully, she brushed against William just as he exited the dance floor while Elisabeth danced with Lord Wellington.

Politely, he nodded to her and showed her courtesy. "Cecily, would you care to dance?"

"I thought you would never ask."

Elisabeth watched William and Cecily dance together and it sickened her. She remembered that Rose mentioned rumors of William's interest in Cecily before she arrived. However, Cecily never paid him any attention since she had much better prospects and William never approached her. Further she remembered an admission William made in the park before he knew who she was.

*"I dare not approach the girl I wanted to meet because she desires someone of a much higher station but it doesn't matter now."*

At the time Elisabeth thought he meant her. _*Did he mean Cecily?* _"Excuse me Lord Wellington," she said as she stepped away from him. "I'm feeling a little light headed. I think I need some air."

Lord Wellington winked at a couple of his mates and followed her into the gardens. "You really shouldn't be out here alone, especially if you're not feeling well." Once he caught up to her, he motioned towards a park bench. "At least sit down," he pleaded. After she sat down, he handed her a handkerchief. "I'm going to get you a glass of water. Will you be alright?"

Elisabeth nodded.

A smile came to Lord Wellington's lips as he entered the ballroom and saw William frantically searching around. He solemnly looked down and took the long way to the refreshment table. "William, forgive me I wasn't watching where I was going?"

"Have you seen Elisabeth?" His blue eyes darted around the room.

"I don't know how to tell you this." Lord Wellington fiegned dismay.

"What are you talking about?"

"Please don't be angry with Elisabeth. She only wanted to….make me jealous." He patted William's shoulder. "She is young and reckless. Don't be upset with her. Now if you'll excuse me. I must join her." Manipulating the naive came easy to Lord Wellington and corrupting them was even more pleasurable. He found Elizabeth to be a tasty innocent morsel which he fully intended to devour.

As he left the ball, William couldn't decide which hurt more: swallowing the endless lumps in his throat or the slow shattering in his heart. _*How could Elizabeth do such a thing!* _He stopped just before he reached his carriage. _*Would my butterfly do such a thing?"*_

As she sat alone on the park bench, Elizabeth's teardrops fell when she thought about the loss of her William. Lord Wellington placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and handed her a cup of water. "Just let it all out," he whispered."

"I'm sorry to be such a bother." She sipped the water and dried her eyes using the handkerchief he handed her.

"You're not a bother. We are friends."


	5. Comeuppance

Chapter 5 Comeuppance

William stopped just before he reached his carriage. _*Would my butterfly do such a thing?"* _Remembering their anonymous chats in the park, her forthrightness and her bold flirtations directly solely at him, he doubted she would ever use him to make Wellington jealous. Through their short acquaintance, William came to know Elisabeth's heart. _*She wouldn't do that.*_

William raced back into the ballroom where he bumped into Justin who was grabbing his cane and hat on his way out. "Justin, have you seen Elisabeth?"

"Not for awhile," he replied.

"Have you seen Wellington?" William frenetically scanned the room.

"I think he mentioned something about the garden."

William bolted back in heading towards the back garden entrance. Justin followed. "What's wrong?"

"I suspect foul play."

Outside in a secluded corner of the park, William observed Wellington nearly groping Elisabeth who seemed slightly disoriented. "William is the sweetest. He wouldn't. I feel slightly dizzy."

That was all William needed to see. He grabbed the back of Wellington's collar and viciously yanked him to the ground. Before a startled lord could do anything, William ferociously kicked his ribs. Wellington yowled in pain from the merciless attack.

During the entire attack, Justin watched in awe. Recently, he noticed changes in William but all for the better. First he noticed that William's mood seemed cheerier and his disposition more outgoing. Next, he sensed a newfound boldness. The demonstration of violence proved it. When Elisabeth swayed slightly, Justin rushed over while William continued beating Wellington. Seeing Justin's actions, William rushed over as well. "I think she's been drugged."

"Elisabeth, are you alright?" William put his arm around her shoulders and held her up.

"Just a little dizzy," she whispered. "Are you in love with Cecily?"

"No," he answered as he kissed her forehead.

Justin noticed some commotion from inside. It looked like some of Wellington's buddies were on their way. "William, you need to take her and leave, through the garden this way."

He noticed it as well. "What about you?"

"I'll take care of things." Justin rumpled his clothes and acted like he was just getting up as Wellington's friends arrived. "Ruffians," he gasped. "I tried to stop them." He pointed to the way out of the garden, opposite to where William had gone.

After they followed the imaginary ruffians, Justin straightened his clothes and walked away. As he passed Wellington, his cane accidently poked Wellington in the stomach. "Sorry about that old chap," he said and continued to walk away.

William carried Elisabeth t his carriage since she nearly stumbled most every step. Heath and Rose awaited them. "What happened to her?" Rose rushed and felt her forehead.

"She fainted from the heat. I think." William knew accusing Wellington of slipping something into Elisabeth's drink would not be believed. Moreover, it would only serve to make him look petty with an unproven accusation. William placed her in the carriage seat and climbed in next to her.

"William, I thought I lost you." Elisabeth tried to wrap her arms around him and nearly climbed in his lap. "Don't leave me."

When he seated her in his lap all the way, Rose gasped. "That is most improper."

"I don't care." Seeing the satisfied smile on Elizabeth's lips and hearing her contented sigh as she rested her head on his shoulder, William wrapped his arms around her even tighter.

Despite Rose's protests, William carried Elisabeth to her room and patiently waited outside her bedroom door while the maid helped her change. Once the maid emerged from her room, he entered but left the door open. Elisabeth slept soundly. Glancing around her room, William noted all the gifts from him had been placed on her vanity, the most cherished place in her room. _*How could I have doubted her?*_

When Rose stood at the door clearing her throat, William kissed Elisabeth's forehead and left. With a final glance to his slumbering butterfly, he couldn't help but want to always cherish her.


	6. Barefoot in the Park

Chapter 6 Barefoot in the Park

Late Sunday morning, Elisabeth awoke refreshed and relieved that William had faith in her. Not long after she started talking to Wellington last night, she realized that William would not have toyed with her emotions. Before she could do anything, she felt strange and now she knew the reason she did was because Wellington slipped her something. _*That bastard will pay.*_

Revenge would come later because it was Sunday, her and William's day. Elizabeth hurried and dressed. While she wore pants, she added a lacy white children's dress that fit her like a shirt. _*At least it's somewhat feminine and I can still exercise.*_ No one bothered her since they were all at church so she grabbed some scones and a flask of tea.

When she arrived at their favorite red oak tree, William had already arrived and was spreading out a large blanket in the shade. "William!" she yelled as she ran towards him. Taking him by surprise, she threw her arms around his neck. "At first I believed Wellington but then I knew better. I'm so sorry."

Forgetting propriety, he swung her around in a big hug. "Elisabeth, I shouldn't have listened to him. I should have gotten to you sooner."

"You saved me." She kissed his cheek. "I was out of it. Did you really beat him up?"

"I acted a bit uncivilized."

"Good," she replied with a kiss to his other cheek. "I admire that."

He set her down gently and scanned the area. "Our being alone here could ruin your reputation."

"I don't care."

"Neither do I, except to protect you," he conceded. "I promise not to take advantage."

"I know." She glanced down at the larger than normal basket he brought today. "You have something special planned."

"I wanted to surprise you."

"You always do such sweet romantic things for me and I can't do anything for you." She plopped down helped him unpack what turned out to be a minor feast.

"If you promise to always be mine, that's all I need." He glanced down almost nervous awaiting her answer to such a question.

"I promise."

Once they finished unpacking, an elegant picnic of roast chicken with cream sauce, trifle and whiskey punch lay before them served on fine china. "This is amazing. I can't believe you did all this. No one has ever done this for me. I love it." While she couldn't remember what she did, she knew it was more duty than frivolity. She fixed them plates of chicken.

"That's quite the pity. You deserve such things."

Elisabeth hungrily ate some chicken since she skipped breakfast. "William, promise me that we will always but honest with each other."

"You have my word. I enjoy our honesty." He poured them both some whiskey punch.

"You're the only person I feel that way with." She ate some of her chicken. "William, there are some things about me that you may not like, things that I haven't told anyone."

"You can tell me anything and it won't change my feelings." Seeing her staring down at her lap, he empathized. Few people knew about his poetry or radical ideas.

"Sometimes I feel like I don't belong here; like I'm from somewhere else or some other time. I have these vivid dreams like I fight demons and I'm really strong and fast." _*Now he's going to think I'm crazy and not be interested anymore.*_

"Vivid dreams are a sign of an active imagination. I don't think you're a nutter." William calmly resumed eating his chicken.

"Thank you for saying that." _*Was he just saying that?*_

"I support child labor laws and women's rights. Most folks would think I'm a nutter for all that. It could seriously affect the family business." He handed her a small plate of trifle. "If I thought you were a nutter or I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have told you that now would I?"

"I guess not." She enjoyed a bite of the fruit and cake mixture. "Soon you'll be like Mr. Normal and they'll be all cave people." _*How did I know that?*_

"Maybe I'm not in the right time either," he remarked as he laughed heartily. "What else can you tell me?"

"You're all foo foo manners and all. That comes to an end, mostly." When she said that, he looked offended. "But, I like how you treat me. Most guys are all about the grabby."

"I'll be sure to put an end to that. No man is allowed to take liberties with you." He gathered the dishes while she poured more punch. "I have a surprise for you." He removed a book from the basket. "I'm going to show you why Shakespeare isn't so bad." William leaned against the tree. "I found the perfect story for you. It's called The Twelfth Night. It's about a young woman who assumes the identity of her twin brother and so the comedy adventure begins."

"A comedy sounds nice." She rested her head on his shoulder.

"You'll like the character of Viola. She's a bold lady who shows the men that she is their equal while remaining a very feminine creature and Orsino accepts her. Oh and she dresses like a boy a lot."

She tilted her head up to stare at his handsome smiling face. "Obvious much," she commented.

For a moment, he contemplated her Americanism. "Understanding allegory is your first step."

Elisabeth listened as he read and would explain bits of the story throughout to translate it for her. His deep dulcet tones and accent made her tingle. "Is that the end?"

"Only the end of the first section," he replied.

"Time to burn off lunch," she stated. Elisabeth kicked off her shoes and ran.

William followed her to the small lake where she splashed him several times. "Why don't you splash back?"

"I'm trying to be a gentleman."

She stuck her tongue at him only to get a tidal wave hurled at her. "I thought you were a gentleman."

"I took a short recess." He slid his spectacles into his pocket. With a giant leap, she tackled him with such force that he went under and so did she. Once the astonishment wore off, lust set in. He immediately ran towards their tree.

She followed. "What's wrong?"

Blushing beet red, he handed her his vest. "Put this on," he commanded.

She looked down to see her top had become very transparent. "Don't you like what you see?"

"Very much so," he answered. "No one else is allowed to see." While she put on the vest, he turned. Nervously, he ran his hand through his damp hair making it curl more. "Before you said …more than friends. I know this is far too bold and too soon but I would like you to consider me to be more of a suitor."

Suitor was considered a step before fiancé, more of a time for him to prove himself before a former proposal. During their time together, she found him to be a friend, best friend even and she certainly found him attractive. In this short span of time, she knew she felt the first stirrings of love. She circled around so she stood in front of him just inches away. "Yes," she whispered. She tilted her chin up awaiting a glorious kiss.

William slid his fingers beneath her chin. Very slowly he brushed his lips against hers in a delicate kiss but she wanted more. That sweet kiss that stirred her promised so much more.

_*He's too polite and formal. He needs a stronger hint. I want real kissage!* _"Is it true that poets possess a passion for life more than most people?"

William looked down trying to hide his blush. "I guess."

"Then kiss me like you mean it."

"I did. Actually, I'm taking far more liberties than what is considered acceptable."

"I don't care about acceptable or proper." She motioned around them. "We're all alone." She stood before him shaking in anger. "I wore that dress last night just for you. I've given you hints. And….and….you're a poet. You're supposed to be passionate and you admitted it. But you kiss me like I'm your sister!" Elisabeth stormed around the tree away from him. She saw the lust that burned in William the moment he saw her wet shirt, the jealousy when other men danced with her and the rage with Wellington touching her. These damn rules of propriety that he couldn't seem to break enraged her to the point that she came up with a rather devious plan.

William rounded the tree to join her. "Elisabeth please," he pleaded.

"Don't Elisabeth me! If you don't give me a kiss that proves that you are just as passionate about me as you are about poetry." Her fury boiled to the point that reason left her. "I'll…..I'll …visit Lord Wellington." _*Eewww, I didn't just say that, Wellington absolutely not, especially after what he pulled.*_

William's blue eyes burned in fury. "You wouldn't dare!"

She knew she almost had him and she pushed that button. "I'll let him ravage my virginal body." _*Oh my God, did I just say that?* _In that moment, she didn't just crack William's dam of decorum. She obliterated it.


	7. The Beast Below

Chapter 7 The Beast Below

In one swift move, William grabbed Elisabeth around her waist. His lips crashed against in an intense kaleidoscope of passionate love and unbridled lust. As his tongue danced in her mouth, she trembled in ecstasy so much so that her knees buckled. They dropped to the ground. He pressed himself against her. The motion of his hand slipping beneath her shirt made her feverish. "Feels so good," she whispered. Electric sensations pulsed through her down below when she felt his hardness. *OH MY GOD! How does he hide THAT? I want to touch!*

"Mummy! Mummy! Look what that man is doing to that boy!" They both turned to see a darling little girl pointing at them.

"Don't look! Come along now Gretchen." The mother grabbed the girl's hand and dragged her away.

That snapped them out of their haze but only briefly. William propped himself on his side but still remained a couple inches over her. Looking into his eyes, Elisabeth saw primal urges barely veiled in his eyes that now openly ogled her while he slid the vest aside. "William, I've never gone this far."

Deftly he unbuttoned her shirt. "Pink, perky and perfect," he muttered.

Elisabeth's nipples stiffened as his fingertips gently glided over them. She arched her back for more. "Please William," she whimpered.

"My little butterfly likes to tempt." A slight smirk crossed his face. "Petals, they're my petals and no one will ever touch them." Bending down, he kissed each of his petals very gently, making her gasp in delight.

While her body screamed to let him take her, her mind gently reminded her that she wasn't ready. "Are we going to...." From the look in William's eyes, she knew she ignited something in him; something that turn her into a licentious pile of mush and him too. _*Is my gentle William in there?*_

"My little butterfly isn't ready yet, is she?"

"No," she answered. "If you want, I'll…I mean. Have you ever?"

William looked down in shame. "Once but it was a graduation present from my uncle. He bought me a night on the town." He remembered his one night with a lady of the evening. Though he enjoyed it at the time, he felt shame after. Now with the look Elisabeth gave him, he felt even more shame because it wasn't….love. "It was a long time ago."

"I understand." She gave him an understanding smile.

"Elisabeth, I love you." He gently traced the crooked of her neck causing her moan.

"I love you too," she gasped. "I've never loved anyone the way I love you and I never will."

All his life he felt things deeper than most. A poet's passion Elisabeth called it. Improper words formed in his head; so improper that it might startle her but he couldn't hold back. "I'm the only man you will ever let touch you." She nodded. "Body," he whispered with a kiss on each of his petals his hand clasped her hip. "Mind," he whispered with a kiss to her forehead. "And soul," he whispered with a kiss above her heart. "All are mine, only mine."

"Yes and you promise," she whispered.

"Mind, body and soul, all yours," he pledged. "You're my muse and my soul-mate."

William looked down at her heaving flushed body willing to let him do anything he wanted to her. All the nasty little thoughts and dreams he had about her for the past several weeks tempted him. Something about her brought out a buried part of him that scared him. It frightened him into pretending it never existed but he didn't need a mask anymore. However, Elisabeth trusted him and he couldn't take advantage. William regained control. Reluctantly, he buttoned her top back up. "We need to leave before I get tempted again."

After they packed the picnic utensils, Elisabeth practically skipped home.

On the other hand, William strutted home to find a letter from his mother and a note from Justin asking to meet the following afternoon and to dress very casually, both of which he responded to.

The following afternoon William arrived at Justin's office to find him dressed very casually as well. "Allo William, do come in. How are you today?"

"I'm superb." His thoughts remained on Elisabeth and their day together. "How are you?"

"Excellent; I'm escorting Jane to next week's ball." Justin handed him a glass of water.

"That is good news." William sipped his water. "Why did you ask me here?"

"Wellington should be recuperating for about a week. After that, he might come after you so I'm going to teach you how to fight. You do want to learn to fight to defend yourself and more importantly Elisabeth?"

"Of course," he answered.

William followed him to the basement. Justin's townhome consisted of an upstairs living area with his offices on the main level. He never realized there was a basement. "You know how to fight?"

"Made quite of bit of money at it," he stated proudly. "My family could barely afford Oxford. There wasn't any money left to start this practice so I brawled."

While he knew that Justin's family had some questionable business practices on the docks, Justin made an honest hard earned name for himself. During his Oxford years, Justin toned down his Irish brogue and replaced it with a more acceptable British accent. However, much of the upper crust still snubbed him. "Why are you doing this?" William looked at the basement which had some gym equipment, a punching bag and a stuffed burlap dummy.

"For as long as I've known you, you have barely spoken a hundred words a day. Twenty-five of them were usually spoken with me which is twenty-five more than most people say. After graduation, you gave me your business. Several compatriots of yours followed suit because of your recommendations. I always repay my friends."

Studying Justin, they were roughly the same size as in tall enough but not that tall. Both had a lean build as well so he found it difficult to believe that Justin fought much less won. "You're not what I would normally think of as fighter material."

"Don't let my size fool you. My fights usually lasted only a minute." Justin removed his shirt to reveal a toned chest and a tattoo of a Celtic hammer on his arm.

"One minute," he stated. William barely spoke the words through his laughter. William didn't see the lightning fast strike to his stomach but he felt the remnants of it as he lay on the ground. It felt like a hammer slammed into him.

"They nicknamed me the hammer." Justin leaned over him. "Do you believe me now?"

"Yes," he gasped.

"Good; now get up." He walked over to the punching bag. "When you punch, hit only with your primary two knuckles. The others are more fragile and can break. Also, stand with your lead side facing your opponent. This gives your opponent less of a target to hit." William stood in the stance he showed him, followed his lead and alternated punches. "Faster," he commanded. "Now switch sides so you can develop both arms." William did so. "Pull from your anger."

"What do you mean?"

"Pretend you just saw Wellington grope Elisabeth," he stated. William grunted and punched hard almost injuring his hand. "Control that rage and channel it," he demanded.

Next they moved to the dummy which had red and black Xs marked on various spots. "The red Xs are the soft spots of the human body. You can inflict a lot of pain without hurting your hand. If you hit the black Xs, you would hurt your hand more than your opponent. Now punch the red Xs."

Though weary, William continued to punch. At one point, he nearly punched a black X.

Justin grimaced. "The black Xs have metal plates behind them to help illustrate the pain so be careful. You should come by everyday for a bit. After that, we'll ease up."

"Is the intensity so I can be ready for Wellington?"

"Partly," he replied. "Bouts of intense practice will help your muscles remember how to fight. The punches become instinctual."

By the end of the week, he and Justin began sparring. Though Justin beat him every time due to many years of practice, William enjoyed it. In fact, his thrill of the fight surprised him. On Saturday, he relished his break so he could recover and be fresh for his very special plans for Elisabeth on Sunday.


	8. Morning Glory

Chapter 8 Morning Glory

Thinking about William, Elisabeth smiled as she decorated the window of Leveau's Dress Shop. Instead of payment in money, they let her have some ribbons and silk flowers to create her own dressy hat, the perfect accompaniment to the pink and white dress she planned to wear on Sunday. Earlier that day she had received a note from William.

_Dearest Elisabeth,_

_Please meet me at our spot on Sunday. I have a surprise for you. It would be best if you dressed like a lady._

_Love always,_

_William_

Elisabeth blissfully awoke to the sun streaming through the curtains filtering through illuminating the handsome face of her lover. "William wake up," she said sweetly. "Last night was amazing."

"Every moment I have with you is amazing. I only wish our time together could be longer." As he caressed her cheek, he kissed her tenderly. A wave of sadness passed over him as he got up and headed towards the door.

A foreboding feeling swept over Elisabeth. She ran after him through the endless corridor opening door after door but the rooms were empty. Nearly exhausted, she opened the last door to find a dungeon. A very tall man with brown hair and eyes glanced up at her. Another man hung from chains completely battered in tattered clothing. All she could see was the top of his light brown curly hair. "William," she called.

"That's not William." The tall man's forehead shifted into ridges and fangs jutted from his mouth. "You will never have William."

The man on the wall lifted his head. For a moment, she saw the face of her William. Then the face of William shifted into a ridged forehead and his teeth grew into fangs. A wispy white light emanated from his chest and left it. The light took the form of William but encased in an angelic glow, the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

The depth of love in William's eyes touched her soul. "Know that I love you more than I have ever loved anyone or ever will. Because of you, I lost my fear and became who I always wanted to be. You truly are my happiness, my muse and my soul-mate." Then he started to fade.

"William, I love you. You're stronger than this. Please don't go."

"Remember me, my butterfly," he whispered as he completely faded into oblivion.

Elisabeth felt the core of her being tearing into shreds at that moment. She couldn't stop it no matter what she did. "NO!"

Someone shook her. "Elisabeth wake up," Rose pleaded. "You're having a nightmare."

Elisabeth looked around at her dimly lit room. All was normal except for the ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Someone's trying to hurt William. I have to go to him."

"It's three in the morning. You can't go now. It's …"

Before Rose could object further, Elisabeth grabbed a coat and bolted out the door. Running through the cobblestone streets with his card, she eventually found William's home after a few wrong turns and cat calls from street thugs. Frantically, she banged on the door until a very burly man and a ruddy faced woman answered.

"Miss," he said.

Elisabeth brushed past them. "William!" she shrieked. "William!"

A door opened upstairs and she heard someone running down the stairs. William rushed up to her and held her tightly. "Elisabeth, are you alright?" He cupped her face and studied her. "Has someone tried to harm you?"

"No, I had a horrible nightmare. There was this monster and…." She started sobbing.

"I won't let anyone harm you." He picked her up and carried her to his living room where he cradled her on the couch.

"He wasn't trying to harm me. He was a vampire, all fangy and grrr. He turned you into one. You lost your soul then you were just all fangy and grrr. You weren't William anymore." Heaving sobs racked her body. "I lost you."

"You won't lose me. I promise."

"You can't stop it. I can't stop it." Elisabeth knew this for certain as if she'd seen it already happen. "I need you William. Please don't leave me."

"I won't leave you." William continued to hold her.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"Well, I don't believe in vampires but I believe in you. Maybe your dream is an allegory for a corruptive friend who takes me down a dark path. Tries to corrupt me, you think?"

That explanation made much more sense. "I guess so."

"How about I promise not to let anyone corrupt me?"

"Sounds good," she replied. _*My William always keeps his promises.*_

A little later the woman who was at the door brought a drink. "Here's a hot toddy. You'll feel better."

Elisabeth sipped the strong lemony, clove flavored and slightly sweet drink. Soon her eyes grew heavy while she clutched William's linen nightshirt. Agnes tried to pry the sleeping girl's fists open but couldn't so William settled back against the couch with her in his arms. Agnes covered them with a light blanket before settling down in a chair in the corner of the room in order to give some sense decency to the matter.

The next morning Elisabeth awoke in William's arms. Now she believed the dream had a deeper meaning and didn't take it at face value just like William said. Slow steady breathing and a rhythmic heartbeat thudding beneath her ear let her know that William remained William for now. Further, she realized that she was exactly where she wanted to be. Unable to resist, she ran her fingers through his tousled curly hair. "Elisabeth," he moaned. Then she felt him stiffen. Slowly her hand slid beneath his open nightshirt to feel taught chest muscles and down until she could almost touch.

Someone cleared their throat out of sight behind them. "We can fix you up with some of Mrs. Pratt's clothing. Afterwards, you can have some breakfast."

William opened his eyes and smiled but shifted slightly to keep his morning glory from touching her. Elisabeth blushed and bolted from the couch.

Upstairs, Elisabeth did as the older woman directed. "Is William angry with me?"

"Oh heavens no," Agnes replied. "He could never be cross with you. He didn't mind comforting you at all."

"Really," she said as she combed her hair.

"William has a giving nature. One day when he has a family of his own he'll be a very nurturing father. It's unusual in a man."

Elisabeth had to agree with that.

Once she dressed, Elisabeth joined William for eggs Benedict. "Thanks for dealing with coo coo girl last night."

William translated for a moment. "It's my pleasure." He chuckled at her outfit. "You may want to go home and change. Having you dressed like my mother wouldn't do for my plans today."

"Not down with the Oedipus," she remarked.

"Not at all," he agreed.

After breakfast Elisabeth went home to clean up and dress, she assured Rose that she was fine but needed a nap. Apparently William sent word that she was well and properly escorted. Once Heath and Rose left for church, she wore her lacey pink and white dress with matching hat that she designed to the park.

At the park, an orchestra played in the gazebo covered bandstand area. Several folks gathered together readying for a festival. William awaited her beneath their tree wearing a beige and brown suit and hat to match. When he saw her he kissed her hand and offered his arm. "You look quite fetching today."

"Thank you and you're yummy yourself," she replied taking his arm.

He escorted her to a small boat and rowed them across the lake to one of the tiny islands. Once he helped her out of the skiff, he handed her a blind fold. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she answered while she tied it around her eyes.

After a brief and shaky walk, he removed the blind fold to find herself beneath a canopied tree. Several pastel bows and other decorations including tiny cupids, hearts and butterflies were tied around the branches and overhangs. A small elegant picnic area had been set-up in corner. Across the lake the orchestra played. "This is the most romantic thing ever."

William offered his hand to dance. Beneath the canopy, they danced close. Afterwards, they sat down on the picnic cloth to eat lobster and drink champagne. Elisabeth wanted this moment to last forever.

William took her hand and looked into her eyes. "Elisabeth you are my soul-mate and I want to be with you forever. Please do me the honor of becoming my wife." Then he removed a small jewelry box from his pocket. Within a gold ring with four diamonds arranged to form a delicate butterfly atop glistened in the sunlight.

Deep down Elisabeth knew she wasn't meant to marry or have a family. Instead, she was meant to die young, a warrior's death. No one gave her the choice. Everyone treated her like a weapon. That is what her dreams told her. However, now before her the man of her dreams offered her what she couldn't have but she feared she couldn't give him what he wanted most.

"No," she replied breaking down into tears.

Please R&R. Thanks to all who have. For anyone unfamiliar with British slang, 'Morning Glory' refers to a man's morning hard-on. Couldn't resist the name.


	9. Visionary

Chapter 9 Visionary

"Elisabeth, I thought….you loved me," he mumbled.

"I do love you and I want to marry you but I'm not allowed."

William put his arms around her. "I will talk to your cousins. I should have talked to them first. I will alleviate their objections."

"It's not them. I'm not supposed to marry, have children or have a career because I'm going to die young. I'm supposed to fight demons. That's all I'm meant for." Elisabeth blurted the words before she had to chance to think how crazy she must sound. These were images from her dreams that she knew them to be true but how?

"Is this part of the nightmares you have?" He started rubbing gentle circles on her back.

"Yeah, crazy huh?" she asked. She looked up to find him studying her. "You deserve a not crazy wife." The thought of him with someone else made her sob harder.

"I don't think you're crazy. I think your fears are manifesting themselves in your dreams. As a result of the hit you took to your head months ago, they're more vivid and frightening." He tilted her chin up and looked directly into her eyes. "Elisabeth, what do you want?"

She thought a moment. "I like working with fashion at Leveaus and I want a career doing that." She looked deep inside her heart. "Most of all, I want to marry you."

William beamed. "Marriage to me won't mean that you can't have the career you want. I'll support you in anything you want to do. You know that." He removed his handkerchief and dabbed the tears on her cheeks. "Maybe your nightmares will go away now that you know that I won't prevent you from following your dreams."

"Maybe," she agreed. "I don't think I can have children." His nurturing nature and huge house indicated his want of a family. She worried how he would feel in a few years once he realized she couldn't have children. "You deserve a family."

For a moment, he contemplated that but more than a family he wanted Elisabeth. "If we can't have children, there is a bright side. I get to keep you all to myself." His lips caressed hers in a gentle kiss that deepened until her knees shook. "Now Elisabeth will you marry me?"

"Oh yes," she whispered. Then he slipped the ring onto her finger. "I love you." _Time for some major kissage._ She launched herself at him causing them to tumble to the ground.

His tongue danced in her mouth until they were breathless. Then he unbuttoned her blouse. "You shouldn't let me do this to you. This is so improper." His fingertips caressed her breast

"But it feels so good," she countered. As he lowered his lips to kiss her breasts, she gently ran her fingers through his wavy locks. Feeling her heart pounding, she arched her back eager for more. The tingling warmth between her legs drove her wild.

Once his arousal became obvious and too much to contain, he broke away and lay down on the grass. "You're too tempting."

"So are you," she whispered. Elisabeth unbuttoned his shirt and trailed kisses down William's chest. Her hardened nipples brushed against him. Several times she saw his knuckles whiten from pleasure while several moans escaped his lips.

Later, they both relaxed next to each other happy, breathless and eager for their wedding night. William reluctantly buttoned her blouse for her while she did his. "We must maintain an air of respectability."

"No more kissage and other stuff," she replied with a pout.

"I didn't say that." He offered his arm. "We must be careful. You need to hide that ring until I can formally ask your guardians for permission to marry you."

Two days later, Elisabeth received a love note from William letting her know that he would be talking to her guardians the following evening and that he thought of a little poem during their last date.

_**And all I can taste is this moment  
And all I can breathe is your life  
Cause sooner or later it's over  
I just don't want to miss you tonight  
_

_And I don't want the world to see me  
Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am  
_

**Lyrics from Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls

_I have such a wonderful boyfriend….fiancé, definitely a keeper._

The next evening Elisabeth tip toed down the stairs when she heard William's dulcet tones as he spoke to Heath and Rose. "My reason for marriage is that we love each other," he said.

"Though Elisabeth's family was wealthy, that wealth waned. They left her with very little." Heath cleared his throat. "She has no dowry to speak of but is used to being kept in a certain manner."

"A dowry means nothing to me," William countered. "I earn five thousand pounds per year. Also, I own a home in Knightsbridge and a cottage in the country."

"That is more than suitable," Heath replied.

"You've only known each other a few weeks if that. You can't possibly be in love. You're both young, especially Elisabeth. I'm sure it is only an infatuation on her part. Could you live with yourself if that is the case?"

That statement infuriated Elisabeth._ She wants me to improve her social status by marrying Wellington. _After Rose said what she did, Elisabeth heard nothing so she opened the parlor door and looked directly at William.

Rose's statement stunned William. At that moment, he looked up to see Elisabeth standing in the doorway gazing at him with smiling eyes. That look said: _I accept everything that you are. I'm proud of you. I believe in you. Most of all, I love you. _She always looked at him like that. It empowered him. This was more than an infatuation.

William stood up. "We love each other and we will marry…even without your blessing." He extended his hand to Elisabeth.

Disregarding propriety, she took his hand and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I'll only marry William because I love him and no one else." Then she extended her hand so that Rose and Heath could see her butterfly engagement ring.

Rose left the room in a huff while Heath poured a glass of sherry. "I have a few stipulations young man." William cocked his head to listen to Heath's words. "Give her a proper engagement and wedding since women live for that sort of thing. Treat her well. Last but not least, there better not be any surprises until at least nine months after your wedding date."

"Of course sir," William replied.

"Young lady there better not be any more mysterious ailments every Sunday. You need to attend church."

Elisabeth gasped in shock. Heath has always been such a quiet man. She didn't think he noticed her comings and goings. "I will."

After looking pointedly at her, Heath's eyes rested on William. "I take it you will be attending church as well."

"I suppose I will but afterwards I like to relax in the park." William's hand tightened around Elisabeth's. There was no way he would give up his private time with her.

Heath frowned and sipped his sherry. Now that the couple were engaged and obviously shared a passion for each other, he wouldn't let them give in to temptation. Many girls were disgraced by their young men during their engagement only to have the young man end it once he had his desires met. Elisabeth needed to be properly escorted by a married woman during her sojourns with William. "Rose and I could use more fresh air. Can you recommend a suitable park?"

"Battersea Park," William replied. "Are you sure your wife would care for the park?"

"I'll make sure of it."

"Thank you," he replied. "My mother will be back tomorrow. I would like for her to meet Elisabeth. Perhaps on Saturday, you and your wife would come to dinner."

"You asked for Elisabeth's hand without your mother's approval or even knowledge?" The inappropriateness and boldness shocked Heath. From what he understood of William, the young man lacked any form of audacity but now he seemed to have it in spades.

"While I'm sure my mother will love Elisabeth, I am the man of the house. My marriage to Elisabeth is my decision." William patted Elisabeth's hand in assurance.

Heath's eyebrows rose at his rather defiant attitude and wondered if this was a suitable match. "You might be the man of your house but you realize that Elisabeth has a very spirited and independent attitude." He nodded towards her.

"Those are the qualities that I admire most about her. While I will always be the man of the house, she will be treated with equality and respect. I plan to teach her how to manage our finances and even about the family business. She may even keep her job at the dress shop if she wishes."

While he agreed with the respect part, Heath couldn't imagine a woman caring about business or finances. "That is something you may wish to reconsider. I'm sure no woman would care for such matters."

No one ever taught her any of that but it made sense that she should know something about it to help if needed. "I'm interested." The look Heath gave her made her feel inadequate.

William squeezed her hand and grinned wickedly at Heath. "I'm a member of both the Reform Club and the Athenaeum Club. I think women should be allowed in both."

Heath's drink spilled. The thought that women should join a political club such as the Reform club was abhorrent. Moreover, the thought of them joining a club reserved for scientists and artists was utterly ridiculous. As if a woman could ever be either! "Next you'll suggest they be allowed to vote!"

"Actually, I think they should as well as non land owners should be allowed to vote as well."

"Obviously, you both are suited to each other." Heath stood up flustered from all the insane notions the young man had. "We will see you on Saturday. You may bid each other farewell."

Elisabeth had sat quietly next to William listening to the exchange. All of his ideas would be normal someday. Somehow she just knew. For now, he was a visionary. As soon as the door closed behind Heath, she launched herself at William pinning him to the couch. "You are the most wonderful man on the planet. I'm so proud of you." She kissed him over and over. "You're like future man or something."

_*Future man…huh….well I'll just enjoy her affections.*_ William found he couldn't move. Considering the position they were in, he really didn't want to.


	10. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Chapter 10 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

While Rose still pouted the next day, Mrs. Leveau the dressmaker's wife gushed with enthusiasm. "A proper engagement should be at least six months. You need to have an exclusive dinner to announce your engagement to your closest friends and family. You'll be getting so many invitations from people you never even met. Everyone will want to entertain the happy couple."

_Six months! Six Months! There no way I can wait that long!_ "We need to have a much shorter engagement than that."

"Oh my," she replied.

"I can't wait that long for my William. I'm dying as it is. We're never alone."

The raven-haired middle-aged queen of accessories couldn't stifle her laughter. "I guess Americans are more like the French: not prudish. You love your William very much. How about I chaperone you? My rules are not as strict."

"You would! Thank you so much." She hugged her new friend. _Six months of kissage and gropage but I'll still be a virgin until my wedding night. William won't break his promise to Heath._ Part of her loved the fact that William kept his word but part of her desperately wanted him to break it, least the nookie part. "William will still make me wait until our wedding night though."

"It will be a special night then. The moment I heard about your engagement; I wanted to give you this." She gave her a fancy gift box which Elisabeth excitedly opened. "You can wear it on your wedding night. William will love it."

She opened the box to find a white sheer sleeveless peignoir with a cinched lace waist. The completely risqué negligee would drive William absolutely wild. She couldn't wait.

That Friday as Elisabeth stitched ribbons and silk flowers on a hat she designed, a pixie looking red headed girl her own age rushed in the shop. "May I help you?" The girl bustled with excitement.

"Are you Elisabeth Sommersby?"

"Ummm yes," she answered.

"I'm Jane Nestaun. I'm friends with Justin Sweeney, well more than friends; I hope. Anyways, Justin is friends with William. I've heard so much about you, all good. I understand that you're a bit of a maverick. Oh, but I like that." She nervously looked at the door. "Anyhow, I wanted to meet you and warn you about Cecily."

"What about her?" Elisabeth flushed with anger.

"Now that William is unavailable, she wants him. You don't have to worry though. William is completely smitten with you according to Justin. Besides, Cecily is a complete bint." Her hand shot up to her mouth. "I shouldn't have said that." She glanced out the window again. "My parents will be coming along anytime so I have to go. We'll have to have lunch sometime. Farewell."

"Bye," Elisabeth muttered to the breeze that trailed behind Jane. That evening she received an invitation from Jane for lunch the following week.

Saturday evening, Elisabeth along with Heath and Rose arrived at William's home in Knightsbridge. She nervously brushed down her pale green dress to ensure that it looked perfect. Though the home wasn't a manor, the rather large brick home provided plenty of space and seemed entirely modernized. However, it only had the bare minimum of furnishings. After the maid escorted them to the parlor, a woman in her late forties or early fifties with white hair and a few remaining blond strands and an ovular wrinkled face that reflected many years of past beauty greeted them.

First she greeted Heath and Rose. Then she clasped Elisabeth's hands. "You must be Elisabeth. I am so pleased to meet you. I'm Anne, William's mother."

"I'm glad to meet you too."

Before Anne met her future daughter-in-law, she knew the girl's entire dossier from her friends. Apparently, her shy William captured society's American darling despite the attentions of several wealthier titled men. Anne sat with Heath and Rose and chatted about the upcoming nuptials. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Elisabeth throw her arms around William's waist and hug him. William had always been an affectionate child. She was glad to see that he would have a loving wife. From everything William told her, this girl admired his forward thinking and agreed with it.

As they talked, she sensed Rose's disapproval of the match and easily guessed why. Six months was a long time for the woman to find a reason to break the engagement. Anne decided to make it only four. "If I may be so bold, why don't you two have the wedding on New Year's Day? New Year's Day falls on a Wednesday and you know what they say."

"What they say," Elisabeth inquired.

Anne recited a little rhyme she heard since childhood.

"_Marry on Monday for health,  
Tuesday for wealth,  
Wednesday the best day of all,  
Thursday for crosses,  
Friday for losses, and  
Saturday for no luck at all."*_

_*Victorian rhyme of unknown origin_

No mention of Sunday was made since marrying on the Sabbath was unheard of. "You can start off the New Year with a new life. Wouldn't that be poetic William?"

"Very much so but it's up to Elisabeth," he replied. He turned and looked her directly in the eyes. "Elisabeth, what would you like to do?"

Every time he looked at her like that, Elisabeth knew that he truly wanted to know her thoughts on the matter at hand and would support her entirely. He didn't want her to give in to any pressure. "New Year's Day sounds perfect."

Rose gasped and gave the couple a sharp look. "Four months is too soon. A six month engagement is barely proper. A year would be best. Besides, they couldn't even get a chapel in that time."

"Nonsense," Anne countered. "No one gets married on New Year's Day so there will be plenty of free chapels. Who cares what other people think? Besides, they're so much in love that it would be almost criminal to keep them apart."

"Four months is too short of time to plan everything, time that I don't have," Rose countered.

"I understand completely but I have a solution. Since I don't have a daughter, I never had the chance to help plan a wedding. This is a wonderful opportunity for me." Anne smiled at Elisabeth. "Would you like my help dear?"

"I would love your help."

"Excellent," Anne stated. "We will get together tomorrow to start planning. Lack of planning won't be an issue, nor will anything else stop this wedding." A bell jingled lightly in another room. "Dinner is ready."

Everyone ambled towards the dining room. William took Elisabeth's hand and held her back. As soon as everyone rounded the corner out of sight, he twirled her around with his arm around her waist, pressed her against him and kissed her savagely for a few brief seconds before he released her. A slight taste of liquor remained in Elisabeth's mouth and a warm sensation between her legs as he ended the kiss. "You've been drinking."

"You can thank Sweeney for that. I had an afternoon of brawling followed by boozing. I loved every minute of it." For all accounts, William looked normal except for a few bruises hidden beneath his clothing, his badges of honor.

"And here I thought you were a quiet sober poet," she commented.

"I am and will be five days a week." In a typical William fashion, he pushed back his glasses with his forefinger.

"You're a weekend warrior and party animal."

"No only Saturdays and Wednesdays," he replied in a serious tone. "I would never drink or fight on the Sabbath."

"Part savage, part poet, that makes me hot," she whispered.

Confusion crossed his features for a moment before he translated the comment and smiled.


	11. The Magic Strawberry Pebble

Chapter 11 William Pratt and the Magic Strawberry Pebble

For several weeks, lunches with Jane twice a week became a regular thing for Elisabeth. Quickly, a friendship formed and they discussed everything. "Will you be my bridesmaid?"

Jane squealed and rapidly tapped her feet on the ground. "Of course, I will. This is so exciting. Is it true you're designing your own dress?"

"Yes, it will be very different from what everyone else does. Speaking of which, I want to show you the bridesmaid dress, in case you're not comfortable wearing it." Elisabeth showed her the conceptual drawing of the sleeveless non-corseted amethyst chiffon dress gathered at the waist with a full length skirt that featured a light crinoline beneath it instead of full hoops.

"Oh my goodness, no sleeves only straps," Jane gasped. "I'll wear it but we can't tell my parents. If they see it for the first time while I'm walking down the aisle then they can't say no or make a scene. How risqué is your dress?"

"Strapless and sleeveless," she replied.

Jane gasped and blushed. A few sips of tea calmed her nerves. "Is it true that William is encouraging you to have a career?"

From what Elisabeth understood, society ladies didn't have careers while women of lower classes had jobs not careers and only for money. "Yes, he is."

"That's wonderful." Jane took a few more sips of tea. "My father studied law. I've read all my father's law books and I understand everything but no one knows that except you. No one would accept a female attorney even if it is just a contractual one like Justin."

"Nothing will change overnight." Somehow Elisabeth knew that it would be well over a century before anything would change.

"It would be unseemly to discuss the law with Justin."

Elisabeth thought a moment. "Justin is friends with William. How about I talk to William and have him talk to Justin? Maybe you can help Justin behind the scenes."

"That's brilliant! Thank you," she said. "Maybe you can convince him to tell Justin to get rid of that mustache that I hate. He only grew it to fit in with the gentry."

A few lunch dates later, Jane confided that William convinced Justin to let her try her hand at reviewing contracts and writing them as well. He would send the work to her home where she would work instead of prattling about. At first he had his concerns but after evaluating her work, Justin was convinced of her qualifications and started to increase his client base. Also, he shaved the "God awful" mustache.

The next Wednesday evening several rapid punches brought Justin down. William looked startled at his accomplishment. "Well, I guess it's my turn to provide the libations," stated Justin. Whoever lost would provide the beverage. Until now, they would split a bottle of fine wine courtesy of William. After they each grabbed a cool damp towel and cleaned up, they went to Justin's upstairs living area where he grabbed a bottle of whiskey. "This is Jameson Whiskey, the finest in all of Ireland. Since you brought me down properly, I decided to treat you to a drink only an Irishman could appreciate."

William often wondered about Justin's ebony eyes and hair. "You know you don't look Irish."

"I'm black Irish." Justin poured two glasses of whiskey. "You need to take it easy with this stuff." He then swallowed a mouthful.

William matched Justin's speed and gulped the whiskey that had a bit of bite to it. "Do you think that I can't handle my liquor?"

"I know you can't handle it, unlike me." Justin poured into both glasses.

"I suppose it's because you're Irish."

"That's exactly it, limey with your wine and watered down ale." Justin laughed when William's British reserve kicked in. "You can't even take a little insult."

William gulped down another. "I can out drink you Mick."

Justin poured more and gulped it down. "I doubt that Feb." *Fucking English Bastard*

"Shant," William countered referring to the shanties associated with where the Irish lived.

"Teabag," Justin countered.

"Spud fucker," William replied.

Justin nearly fell out of his chair laughing with his friend's loss of propriety. "Lobsterback," he countered referring to the red coats they wore in the revolutionary war.

"Bogtrotter," William replied.

Two empty bottles later, William stumbled out with Justin's help. "I'm shine. I can hold my lisher better than you."

"Your home is that way." Justin pointed to several different streets. "Here let me hell you." He grabbed William by his waist and helped him stumble along.

A couple blocks later, they encountered three strange men. William stared at them. "My spectables mus be dirty. They look weird."

Justin pointed and laughed. "They have boompy foreheads and the worst teeths ever. They are FEBS: Fugly English Bastards."

"Fugly," William repeated.

"Fucking ugly," Justin stated.

"We'll fugly you," the leader growled.

Suddenly, the Febs left. "They're going affer that boy. We should rescue 'im."

When they got there, the boy stood alone. "The chicken shits ran. They heard bou us."

Earlier that evening, a feeling of dread washed over Elisabeth. Instantly, she thought of William and worried because she knew about their habit of drinking afterwards. Though she had seen William almost sober after a shared bottle of wine, she worried about what kind of shape he would be in if Justin provided the beverage.

Dressed as a boy with her hair in a cap, Elisabeth made her way towards Sweeney's office, hoping the terrible twosome remained there. Not far away, she heard the drunken duo and felt three fledglings. Instinctively, she grabbed a large tree branch and broke it so she had a stake. Somehow, she knew about vampires. They didn't frighten her and she knew how to kill them. _*The dreams must be a warning system.*_

Instantly, she staked the first one as he lunged at her before turning and finishing off the other two. Just then, the odor of liquor assailed her nostrils as a pair of pompous drunks stumbled towards her. "You should shank us whelp. We scared 'em away. My mate the fud spucker has a rep." William stood with his light brown hair in a near afro and his clothes not much better.

"No, it swas you, you Island Monkey." Justin stood there looking only slightly less disheveled.

Elisabeth shook her head at the three piles of dust that surrounded them and two drunks in front of her. "C'mon," she said grabbing each of their hands.

"You're a strange boy. Are those bristols?" Half-way to his townhome, Justin took a closer look. "Those are definitely devil's dumplings."

William adjusted his spectacles and looked closely. "I recognize those tatas. Those are my petals." He clumsily tried to throw his arms around her. "Elisabeth, I love you."

Elisabeth ducked the maladroit arms that tried to grab her. "Inside both of you," she ordered. They lumbered in and climbed the stairs while she followed. "Justin, go to your room."

"Yeah, Ma!"

William plopped on the couch and patted a spot next to him so she joined him. He pulled her down into a rough drunken kiss. "I wanna shag you senseless."

Clanking and stumbling interrupted them. Justin ambled up to them with two glasses of amber colored liquid. "William stop snogging the poncey boy and drinks this."

"No more booze," she stated adamantly.

"It's salted apple juice. Prevents hangovers." The liquid sloshed slightly as Justin teetered. While Justin gulped his down, William leaned up and sipped his.

Once he finished, William's head collapsed against the pillow and he fell into a sound sleep. "So much for fun but I'd rather have it sober," she commented. She brushed his hair back and kissed his forehead. "I suppose I should check on Justin."

As she made her way to what she hoped would be the bedroom, she prayed she wouldn't see anything embarrassing. When she creaked open the door, she held her hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter. Justin stood at the side of his tall bed bent at the waist with his torso on the bed and fast asleep.

After one last kiss to William's sleeping lips, Elisabeth scurried home and snuck in through a window.

Sunday after church, the Leveaus chaperoned Elisabeth and William for a picnic at Battersea Park. They had a routine. Since only two people could ride safely in the small row boat and not much could be done in one, the young couple would be allowed to row throughout all the small inlets and streams which normally would take two hours. Instead, William would row them both over to the tiny island where they would hide beneath the canopied tree where he proposed. There they made excellent use of their time but all above the waist. After all, William gave his word to Heath that Elisabeth would remain a virgin until marriage.

As he unbuttoned her blouse, he kissed her passionately leaving her nearly breathless. Then she pushed him back and pinned him. William looked shocked. "This time I'm going first." After unbuttoning his shirt, she trailed kisses from his chest to his navel, enjoying the now highly defined muscles he developed from his regular sparring matches. Only a few buttons restrained his glory below which stiffened as her hand crept towards the first button. In her dreams, she knew that she had seen the male form in pictures but never in real life.

"Elisabeth, what do you think you're doing?"

"You get to play with my petals." She undid the second button. "Why can't I play with Mr. Happy?"

Two buttons later she unearthed treasure. _*Shy William doesn't need to be so shy!* _Using her fingertip, she touched the top and made lazy descending circles until she had completely covered his head. By then, he completely hardened. _*Steel covered in silky skin and all mine.* _She felt him trembling. She wrapped her hand around him and gently massaged up and down.

William gasped and moaned. "Elisabeth….oh….please," he mumbled. After a few rounds, she popped her mouth down on him. Somehow she managed the stretch. "Oh lord!" he exclaimed.

Elisabeth did everything instinctually since she had never done this before even in her dreams. Moving up and down, Elisabeth got her rhythm while he moaned and trembled. Lightly, she rubbed his balls causing him to moan even louder.

"Elisabeth…..you need to…stop. I'm going ….to," he gasped. Seeing his absolute pleasure, she continued and swirled her tongue around. "Oh GOD!" he exclaimed. She felt a warm salty slickness in the back of her throat and swallowed. "I'm in heaven." William laid there a moment in recovery.

"So I did good," she stated.

"Elisabeth, you're incredible." He cleaned up and buttoned up. "To avoid temptation pet," he stated.

Unexpectedly, he flipped her on her back and dove beneath her skirt. "Are you going to ….oh my," she squealed.

_*Too many damn undergarments keeping me from my prize!* _Finally, William found treasure. _*Very neatly trimmed, I love it!* _Gently, he spread her legs apart. Ever so delicately, his fingers glanced over her but not quite in. _*Looks like a flower of sorts. This will be reserved for the wedding night. Oh but what's this? It looks like an elongated strawberry pebble.* _He kissed it and she gasped. He rolled his tongue around it and she shuddered. He sucked it for several minutes and she shuddered and muttered thanks to the lord above. _*I wonder what would happen if I suckled while flicking my tongue rapidly around it and at the tip of it.*_

Elisabeth soared into heaven losing any resemblance of sanity she had. Electric erotic sensations she never dreamed possible shot from beneath her skirts to her entire body. Suddenly, she exploded in an earth shattering scream muffled by her skirt that she bit down on since William had flung up to her chin. As she regained her breath, William looked up and smiled. "You are a God William!"

_*I doubt if she's upset about me getting drunk anymore. Once I'm married, I'll have to tell Justin about the magic strawberry pebble.*_


	12. So NOT a Lady

Chapter 12 So NOT A Lady

Early in the morning, Elisabeth stared through her window at the autumn leaves that blew about and read the poem William wrote on an orange card in the shape of a leaf.

_Come said the wind to _  
_the leaves one day, _  
_Come o're the meadows _  
_and we will play. _  
_Put on your dresses _  
_scarlet and gold, _  
_For summer is gone _  
_and the days grow cold._

_*Victorian children's song_

Then she quickly readied herself and joined Rose for yet another lesson in being a proper wife. Yesterday, she learned that she couldn't cook: failure one. Today was hosting a tea party. First, she made sure the scones, sandwiches and butter cookies were ready. Then she sat down with her guest and placed the tea tray on the small table in front of them. She poured a cup for Rose then herself before placing it back on the tray.

Rose turned the spout. "The spout must always face the hostess."

"Milk," Elisabeth offered.

"You always offer the sugar first so it may dissolve before you pour the milk. Careful not to let the tongs touch the tea." They sipped a little. "The saucer remains on the table and pinky down."

"Scones," Elisabeth offered.

"Napkin first," Rose stated.

Elisabeth did so. After scones, they ate the sandwiches followed by dessert.

After tea in the parlor, they went into the dining room where a pile of dishes, silverware and other nick knacks sat in a large pile in the center of the table. "You must arrange the place settings correctly. Hopefully, you'll have a cook who knows what to fix. Remember that everything must be perfect."

"If it's not perfect, my husband and my friends will forgive." Elisabeth started placing the plates in their proper places.

"I'm sure at first he would. Forgiveness is easy for newlyweds. However, you are not marrying a man of such station that you can simply be an ornamental wife. William needs a functional wife. One that won't embarrass him in front of a prospective client."

Of the six forks, Elisabeth knew the salad fork and the one for the main course. Also, a knife was a knife but there was one for the butter, roast, game and several others that she couldn't remember. Onto the stemware, she remembered the red glass was for Rhine wine but she couldn't remember the others.

After she finished, Rose corrected everything before handing her a dinner menu. "What is wrong with this menu?"

"Too many sauces," Elisabeth guessed.

Rose rolled her eyes. "No, you never serve fish with potatoes."

Despite their dining room disaster, Rose continued with their lessons. "The most important thing for a wife to do is to always act like a lady. First, you must be a devout Christian. You need to attend church regularly. Now I know at one point you have considered a profession. Your profession is to govern your home and be a loving mother." Rose looked around discretely. "Lastly, you must remain a virgin until marriage. You behave too flirtatiously."

When she thought of everything her and William did do, Elisabeth blushed. However, one barrier remained intact. "I can assure you that I'm still a virgin." _*Just not entirely pure.* _

"And you will remain so until your wedding night," Rose stated. "A married lady never initiates the act nor does she behave wantonly. If she does, she is not a lady."

_*I'm sure William doesn't want a lady in his bed. However, I'm sure he wants someone who can run his home. What am I going to do?* _"I understand. I'm not feeling well. I'm going to lie down for a little while."

Once inside her room, Elisabeth hiked up her skirt, climbed out of her window and shimmied down the tree.

After running all the way to William's house, Elisabeth frantically knocked on their door. Once the servant let her in, Anne said goodbye to a few of her matronly friends who had just finished tea. They raised their eyebrows when they saw her rudeness but Anne quickly recovered the situation. "Elisabeth is here to discuss the wedding. She's just a tad early but it's alright since we're just finishing up."

While the others ladies left, Elisabeth stared at the perfect place settings and sighed. _*This will never be me.*_

Anne joined her. "What's wrong dear?" When Elisabeth greeted her question with silence, Anne hugged her. "Tell me," she pleaded.

"I can't set a proper table, throw a proper dinner party or serve tea correctly so I won't make a good wife." Elisabeth plopped down on the chaise.

"I can teach you etiquette."

Elisabeth shrugged. "Thing is I really don't care about those things."

"You don't care about those things. Is it because Americans aren't into as into the British pomp and circumstance?"

"That's a lot of it. There are other reasons too. I don't want to ruin William's business because I'm not a proper wife."

Anne looked at her sympathetically. "You may not be a proper wife by society's standards but you'll be a proper wife to William."

"But what about the business dinners and entertaining," she countered. "Will you help me with them?"

"Once you became the lady of the house, I planned to move to the country cottage." Anne patted her hand. "Most young wives do not want their mother-in-laws anywhere near them."

"This house is huge. We won't be stepping on each other. It wouldn't bother me if you stayed here."

Anne daintily dabbed a couple of tears from her eyes. "We will ask William if it's alright when he comes home." She excused herself for a moment. When she returned, she handed Elisabeth a large bulky envelope. "Go ahead and open it," she said.

Little seashells adorned the border of the card that featured a painting of a beach and an address in Malaga, Spain. "What's this?"

"My present to you and William," she answered. "One of my friends has a very private beach bungalow there and I thought it would be the perfect place for your honeymoon. You'll have about two months. That's why William's been working extra lately. He wants to clear his schedule. So, do you like?"

_*Private beach, sex, naked William, sex, sun, sex, swimming, sex, I am so NOT a lady!* _"It sounds wonderful. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Yes, thank you."

For several hours, they discussed the wedding and several other topics.

Just before dinner, William arrived home so Anne left the parlor to give them some privacy. Before he could say anything, Elisabeth threw her arms around him and kissed. When the dinner bell rang, they stopped and she ran her fingers through his hair. "This is most unexpected but the best welcome home ever." As he held her close, he nibbled her earlobe making her giggle. "What brings you here?"

"Once we're married, I won't be acting like a lady."

He crinkled his nose and pushed back his spectacles. "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"Rose told me that a lady never initiates you know." She ran her finger down his chest. "I'm not sure I'll be much of a lady."

"I hope not." He pressed himself against her.

"Good, then you'll get even better welcome homes," she whispered. The dinner bell rang even louder so he took her hand and lead her to the dining room. "So are you going to tell me about your Halloween costume?"

"No it's a surprise."

"That's not fair. I mean Jane can't keep a secret so you know about ours. Please tell me." She jutted her bottom lip out. She and Jane decided to wear the same style of revealing outfits.

William smiled with what Justin came up with. Technically, they weren't costumes. "You'll just have to see. I will give you a hint. We both have been practicing."

"Practicing what?" she asked.

"If I told you, it would give it away."


	13. The Lawful and the Lawless

Chapter 13 The Lawful and the Lawless

Late in the afternoon of October 31st at William's home, Elisabeth tied an emerald green ribbon in Jane's strawberry red hair. "How do I look?"

Her friend stood before her in an emerald green flowing skirt that came to just above her ankles and the royal purple long sleeve peasant shirt. "You're beautiful. Justin will go wild."

Jane looked at her friend's gypsy outfit: a cream off the shoulder peasant shirt, black leather waist cinch and a royal blue flowing handkerchief skirt that came to just above her ankles and a tad higher at times. "You're gorgeous and that outfit is so bold that William will have to guard you against potential suitors."

Tonight Anne would chaperone both couples. The girls got ready at the Pratt residence while the men got ready at Justin's home. "Their carriage is here." Jane watched from the window. "Oh my goodness!"

When Jane blushed and nearly hyperventilated, Elisabeth rushed over to see what she was missing only to see the back of a black cape enter the house. She grabbed Jane as she rushed towards the door. "No, we're going to make them wait so we can make an entrance. That's the plan."

Jane plopped down on the bed. "Justin was just so …..rough. They're both just as handsome as they can be."

After waiting a little while, they ventured downstairs. From the back, Elisabeth saw William in a wide brimmed black Stetson hat and a black caped rifle frock coat practicing flourished fast draws. Justin stood across from him wearing the same style of hat with a silver vest and black knee length frock coat practicing his fast draw. He glanced up and tipped his hat. "Ladies," he said. "Don't worry; they're not loaded."

William turned and tipped his hat as well. "Beautiful gypsies," he stated.

Black hat, floor length cape-like coat, burgundy vest over a white linen shirt, black pants and a hip holster which drew attention to something he should be proud of: Elisabeth could safely say that black and red were William's colors and the duster his garment of choice. Wearing the duster, he exuded a ruggedness and refinement, all in the same breath. Elisabeth felt the heat between her legs. "Hello handsome," she said.

"Authentic U.S. Marshalls," William stated pointing to the badge. "Justin's cousin from the states is visiting and let us borrow these. In return, a certain fashion designer I know will design his girl a dress."

"Oh, it's worth it." She grabbed his hand and led him to the living room for privacy. "You can arrest me and do anything you want to me."

"I don't have any handcuffs."

"Too bad," she drawled. "Either way I won't resist you." Elisabeth laid back on the couch and hiked up her skirts so he could see her fishnets. "That coat makes you completely irresistible."

"Those fishnets make you the sexiest little minx ever." William lowered himself on top of her and kissed her passionately.

As he trailed kisses down her neck and shoulders, she felt herself melting. Through their clothing, she felt him. *My wedding night can't come soon enough!* Suddenly, he was painfully hard.

"My gun," he muttered. When he sat up, the handle rested against her inner thigh. "This almost took my wedding night present."

"We're getting married in two months. I don't know why we have to wait." *Elisabeth dreamt of a time where waiting until marriage was almost unheard of.*

"You'll be mine forever." He offered his hand to her. "It makes it more special." When they walked in the parlor, William cleared his throat so that Justin and Jane could break their lip lock. "Mum's coming. You don't want her to think we're sullying our women."

On the carriage ride over, Elisabeth noticed the neighborhood getting a little rough but it didn't scare her. Since William had his arm and coat draped around her shoulders, the chill in the air didn't bother her either. Anne contentedly looked out the window of the carriage ignoring both couples embraces. They pulled up to a rather old brick building with jack-o-lanterns lining the ground and crosses on the walls.

Justin hopped out first. "Don't worry. It's safe. We're celebrating Halloween the Irish way."

Elisabeth stopped and looked at the wet ground surrounding the building but several feet out. "Why is the ground wet?"

"That's holy water to keep the demons away. We're superstitious folk."

"Yeah, so superstitious that you walk around with your buddy at night when the vampires are out," Elisabeth muttered.

"That's all fairytale nonsense. Some of the muggers are just….ugly and deformed." Justin picked up several tiny pouches from a cauldron sitting on the ground at the entrance and handed one to each of them. The bags contained dust. "We also believe that throwing dust at a goblin will make them release all the souls they've stolen."

When they walked in, many people dressed in costumes greeted Justin. Along the walls, paper cut outs of witches and ghost decorated the walls along with cornstalks in the corners. Shadow casters provided light spooky shadows. A contingent of children dressed as witches, devils, ghosts, goblins and ghouls descended upon William and Justin once they saw their outfits. Both men started entertaining them with flourished fast draws and other gun play. First, they tossed guns into a spin that they caught behind their backs and holstered. Then they spun the guns around their fingers while they twisted their wrists until they balanced the barrel in the palm of their hands. After a few more elaborate spins, they tossed each other their guns, spun them and holstered them. The children clapped and cheered. Both men promised more after dinner.

As William and Justin entertained the children, Elisabeth nudged Jane. "It looks our boyfriends have boyfriends."

Jane looked at her strangely. "Oh, I understand now. I'm glad they're friends. Justin dropped his Irish brogue and picked up more formal mannerisms so he could fit in with the upper crust but he's not quite comfortable with them. He's afraid his intellectual friends wouldn't like speaking to a former street brawler. On the other hand, he loves his family dearly and they him but he's the only one with a college education. While he's not ashamed of his past, he doesn't quite fit into either world anymore."

"While William comes from a good background, he hates the trappings of society and doesn't feel he fits either. And he loves fighting."

"Justin does too. You know he still carries a knife in his boot." Jane nodded towards Justin's right leg.

"You can take the boy out of the street but you can't take the street out of the boy."

"Every woman wants to marry a gentleman but," Jane giggled.

"Sleep with a bad boy," Elisabeth finished. _*I'm living the dream.*_

Jane's face turned beet red. "Well, I haven't. I won't. Not until I'm married."

When the dinner bell rang, everyone sat at several long tables with the children having a table all to themselves. The children each had a baked potato while several older woman passed out plates of food to the adults. "The children get coins in the potatoes that they're allowed to keep." Justin then passed a couple plates to them that had a mini mountain of green specked mashed potatoes with what looked like a tiny pool of butter in the middle. "This is Colcannon. The potatoes have onion and kale in them and that is butter. You dip each bite in the butter."

Elisabeth took a few bites of the savory mashed potato mixture. "This is delicious. Thanks for inviting us. So where is this cousin of yours?"

Justin pointed to a man who looked about fifty wearing a white striped black wild wig dressed as a middle class British gentleman with fake blood splattered across his chest and a folded straight blade razor in his pocket. The man had William's build. "Beneath Sweeney Todd over there is Ezra Sweeney, my second cousin, U.S. Marshall and genuine Texan."

Every now and then Elisabeth overheard bits and pieces of tall tales told with a Texan drawl from the next table. Once they finished their main course, everyone sliced into loaves of brown cake with fruit in it. "This is Barnbrack Cake. Watch for objects other than fruit in the cake."

Elisabeth cautiously picked through her slice to find a simple tin ring in it. "What's this for?"

Justin heartily laughed. "The ring is a sign of impending romance." William held up a coin. "That's the sign of a prosperous year."

William draped his arm around Elisabeth's shoulders. "I'll be able to take care of you properly."

"I'd rather have romance," she stated. "And poetry," she whispered in his ear with a kiss to follow.

After the meal ended, a priest sprinkled holy water on the children and a few of the adults before they left. "The holy water wards off evil spirits. My Ma and Pa are taking them out trick or treating. You'll be able to meet them properly at the St. Patrick's Party."

"We're going to the Sweeney St. Patty's party because no one celebrates it like the Irish," William stated.

"None of the Irish celebrate it like the Sweeneys do," Justin added.

As some music with a lively beat resounded throughout the hall, William took Elisabeth's hand and lead her to the dance floor. Instead of formal dancing, couples danced lively steps. After several dances, Ezra tapped William on the shoulder so William kissed her cheek and allowed Ezra a dance.

Ezra twirled her around several times. "So you're the little filly who caught young Will's heart," he drawled.

"Yeah and you're the mysterious cousin who taught them how them all that fancy gun stuff. I never met a Marshall before. Do you get into a lot of gun fights?"

"My fair share," he replied. He looked towards William and Justin who twirled the guns again. "That's just for show. In a real gun fight, we aim and fire quicker than you can blink."

"You didn't let them have bullets did you?"

"Hell nah," he stated. "I'd never let them British dandies touch a bullet. Bad nuff I had to dodge my own pistols when they first tossed 'em round but they're doin' a fine job now."

"Oh, I hope they didn't damage your guns."

"Nah, even if they did. Not like I don't have a bunch more."

Elisabeth saw that he had no less than three pistols on him . "I can see."

"Well, I carry more at night. You never know what kind of vermin you might meet at night especially during a shindig." He patted one of the guns. "By the way, you goin' to design somethin' for my daughter?"

"I'd be honored. What's her favorite color?"

"Green," he replied. He twirled her in a big circle. "Think you can handle some real Texas dancin?"

"Bring it," she answered. To her surprise, he spun her and flipped her over his back. She kept up with everything he had to dish out and then some. Then Ezra danced with Jane and Justin danced with her for a couple of songs.

While his girl danced, William enjoyed some ice cold hard apple cider. After he danced with Jane, Ezra soon joined him. "Will, you have yourself one wild filly."

"Indeed I do."

"Mind some advice," Ezra offered.

"Sure," William replied.

"Make sure you deserve respect by takin care of your own. Sometimes you have to fight for it though."

"Elisabeth respects me."

"Just make sure everyone in your home respects you both including the passle of young 'uns you're sure to have. Sometimes you have to fight for it cause sometimes they just don't listen."

"My children will love me."

"Sure they will but its respect that keeps your home in order. Respect is fifty percent love, forty percent admiration and ten percent fear."

William looked at him in horror. "I will not have anyone in my home fear me. I find that revolting."

"I don't mean that everyone walks around in fear. I mean they listen to you and follow the rules but the fear the consequences if they don't. That maintains order, especially when they're teenagers."

"I guess I have something to think about….later." William noticed his mother talking several other matrons so he decided to make the most of his unchaperoned time.

-l-

Near the end of the song, Elisabeth felt a familiar tingle. William stood at the edge of the dance area with one raised eyebrow wearing that duster. He offered his hand and gave her that heart melting smile of his. She let him lead her outside. At the side of the building, away from the entrance, he embraced her. As his lips trailed gently over her shoulders a low moan escaped her lips. In William's tender embrace, the world faded away giving way to a multitude of tinglies. *At last, some alone time and excellent kissage.*

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_ "Damn ugly vermin!"

William pressed Elisabeth against him and covered her head the second the first gunshot thundered through the air.

"One of them vermin was watchin' you over yonder." Ezra pointed to a spot just beyond the holy water boundary where a pile of dust lay.

From inside, the music had slowed a bit leaving her to believe that they had been smooching for awhile. Once William relinquished his protective stance, Elisabeth looked at the pile curiously. "Bullets don't kill vampires. Only a wooden stake through the heart will." *Vampires and demons don't come out on Halloween either. My dreams tell me so much.*

"I don't reckon to get close to one like my daughter does. She's real fast and real strong. I'd rather just shoot them with Mr. Colt here and these blessed wooden bullets. Now you two need to get back in. You had enough time unchaparoned. Wasn't 'bout to let Will's ma come out here."

William buttoned his shirt and Elisabeth straightened her clothes before they went in. When they entered, Elisabeth noticed Justin and Jane absent.

"Time to get the other two," muttered Ezra.

With the slower tempo of music, Elisabeth enjoyed nearness as they danced together slowly. Later, Justin and Jane entered slightly disheveled with Ezra escorting them. Jane bubbled with delight and started showing folks her hand. William smiled. "I think she has some good news she wants to share."

"Did Justin propose?" He nodded. "And you knew and didn't say anything," she concluded. "You should have told me."

"Women gossip," he stated.

"I wouldn't have said anything."

"Doubtful," he replied.

"For that I'm not speaking to you for the rest of the night." When she turned to leave, William grabbed her and kissed her.

"You said no speaking not kissing. Now go to Jane before she explodes."

*He just gets bolder and bolder.*

The moment Elisabeth exited the dance floor, Jane grabbed her. "Justin proposed." She held up a marquise shaped diamond engagement ring. "This is so exciting we must get together and plan the wedding sometime. I was thinking of having the ceremony in May."

That night as Elisabeth went to sleep, she reflected on that evening. Her best friend was getting married but that didn't bring the tear to her eye. Nor did the fact that having someone else take care of a vampire which relieved a weight on her shoulders. Instead, the fact that William loved her so much that he would protect her with his life meant more to her than anything. He didn't even think twice when he wrapped himself around her as the first gun shot rang out. *No one has ever loved me so much.* She looked at the empty pillow next to her. *In two months, when I go to sleep, William will be next to me.*

A/N – Please R&R. I love hearing from you all. To get an idea of the gun show, go to youtube and look up **"**Gunslinger Joey Dillon Hollywood Gun Coach" and you will see the spins. To get an idea of just how fast Ezra fired his pistol, look up "Fast Draw - 5 shots off an assistant in less than a second."It's pretty amazing and funny also. The outfits that William and Justin are wearing was inspired by the movie Tombstone: Doc Holliday and Morgan Earp's outfits respectively.

Anyone pickup on what Ezra's daughter is? Please let me know your thoughts. Next a Yuletide party with Cecily and Wellington making a guest appearance.


	14. Yule Tidings

Chapter 14 Yule Tidings

Early in December, Elisabeth rushed towards William's house enjoying the scenery around her. Though afternoon, already the soft warm glow of candles and lanterns illuminated the snow covered homes, cobblestone streets and shops. Holiday hams and pastries hung in the shops while street vendors converged on the plethora of patrons who bustled in droves through the streets. For a month she collected scraps of ribbons, rickrack, cloth, buttons and various knickknacks that the shop set to be discarded in anticipation of this day.

At the same time she arrived, Jane came running up next to her carrying a silver hat box. "This is going to be fun."

"I've never done anything like this before." Together they planned to decorate the Pratt residence for Christmas.

Though they decorated and always kept the Christmas spirit, because it was just the two of them, William and Anne always spent the holidays at someone else's house. This time they would have Christmas dinner at their home with Elisabeth, Jane and Justin in attendance. Since Jane's family wanted to go on a Swiss ski trip like they did most every Christmas, Jane opted instead to spend her Christmas in London with her fiancé. However, she needed an escort and Anne would be perfect for that. Since Elisabeth grew weary of Rose's constant hints of how much better of a husband Wellington would be over William, she opted to stay the month with Anne as well. Also, being in the same home with Anne and Jane made it easier to plan the wedding. Because it wouldn't be proper with William there with two unrelated and unwed young women, it was decided that he would stay with Justin to experience what it was like to have a brother.

In the living room the girls sat together amongst a table covered with all their bric-a-brac. Anne brought in tea, cookies and pastries for them. "This year we will be getting a tree so we'll need ornaments."

Elisabeth used fancy ribbon and tied together a six inch tall clump of material two inches from the top so the bottom flared out. "Is Justin's family OK with him spending Christmas here?"

"Yes, they're spending Christmas Eve together." Using cardboard, Jane cut out shapes of bells. "He likes the idea of a quieter Christmas without all his nieces, nephews and cousins running around. At Halloween, we only saw a fraction of the family. Oh by the way, please pass along to William my thanks for such romantic proposal. I'm sure he helped Justin." Jane fondly remembered that night.

_In a candle lit back room of the Halloween hall, a slice of Barnbrack Cake sat on a small round table. Justin took a seat and motioned for her to sit in the other. Being around Elisabeth, Jane learned that there was no shame in enjoying the affections of your suitor so she hopped on his lap for good snogging. Between kisses, he managed to say the words._

_**"Serenading you with words  
as my love flows,  
How do you posses me so  
with one word my smile glows"_

**By: Jeff Weiner

"_Check…the….cake," he said as she nibbled his earlobes._

_Jane stopped snogging and looked him directly in his dark eyes. "I don't want cake. I want to enjoy our few minutes alone." _

"_For me, a__ Stóirín," he said sweetly with a light caress to the back of her knee. __*(Pronounced __ah store-een__ = My little darling)*_

_She pouted a moment. "You know I can't resist you when you speak Gaelic." She looked at the cake and saw the marquis diamond ring._

"_Pósfaidh tú mé?" *Will you marry me?*_

"_Yes, I'll marry you. I love you so much."_

Elisabeth knew the whole story from Jane and had always suspected that William wrote the poem and helped with the planning. Not to ruin Justin's moment of glory, she never said anything but kept her suspicions to herself. "I'll pass it on. It's only fair since Justin taught William to fight and all."

Jane started painting the cardboard bells silver creating dresdens for the tree. "By the way, Lord Wellington and Cecily will be at the Darlington's Christmas Ball next weekend. The guys have a pact to watch out for each other's girls. I say we make a similar pact and we watch out for each other's fiancés because of Cecily."

"Deal," Elisabeth agreed.

Jane began sewing ribbons together. "So you're going to Malaga, Spain for your honeymoon?"

"We're staying at a beach bungalow for six weeks." Elisabeth sewed some felt eyes onto her angel. "Anne arranged it for us as a wedding present. Her friends own the place."

Jane looped string through the bells so they could be hung from the trees. "Are there a lot of historic sites?"

"There are some a good carriage ride away." Anne tied fancy ribbons around some candy canes. _*There's not much to do there but they'll entertain themselves and I will hopefully have a grandchild soon enough.* _While Anne didn't plan to interfere in their lives, getting a grandchild was the one thing she planned to help along anyway she could. "By the way Elisabeth, Ezra will be joining us for dinner tomorrow night and to pick up the dress." Anne excused herself while she tended to some dough ornaments that she baked.

Jane carefully looked around to ensure that no one was around to unsure utmost discretion. "I'm nervous about my wedding night. No one talks to me about this sort of thing except to say just lie there and bare it but I love kissing and all." She paled. "I mean I love Justin but he does come from a rough background. Do you think it will be as bad as they say?"

Elisabeth saw the sheer terror in her friend's eyes. Earlier Jane had confided in her that she had to throw a tantrum to get her parents to approve of her marriage to Justin once they found out about his background. She couldn't believe the backwards thinking.

Jane continued. "Sometimes husbands go to the red light district so their wives don't have to endure certain things. After you're married, would you be honest and ….never mind."

_*Jane has been brought up in a strict society household. What do they tell these girls?* _"When two people are married and in love, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Justin might come from a rough background but he'd never hurt you. There's no need for a husband to have a hooker on the side because his wife needs a break. Women can enjoy sex just as much as men."

Jane gasped. "Have you!"

"No but I have reliable sources and I've gotten the talk. Look I'll give you every detail and report to you about my wedding night."

Jane giggled. "That would be most improper."

"You must swear never to breathe a word to anyone."

Jane nodded enthusiastically. "If that's the case, maybe I'll push my wedding up to April."

The following evening Ezra arrived for dinner wearing his normal western gear. Without the Sweeney Todd wig, they could see that he had short hair salt and pepper hair. Elisabeth showed him the dress she made. A satin emerald green top that hung down in the back could be bustled or could hang to the ground and the top had mid-length satin sleeves with lace forming a faux long sleeve. The front looked like a mock corset. It could be worn over a cream satin simple long dress in spring or a black one for winter. Effectively, she created several looks in one dress. "Gale will love this. Thank you."

One of the servants announced dinner and they all sat down. First they started with a chicken soup. "So Ezra, have you enjoyed your vacation?"

"Well, I have enjoyed it but it was sort of a business trip to start." Ezra broke off some bread and dipped it in the soup.

Several eyebrows rose including Anne's as they watched him eat but Elisabeth stifled a giggle and did so herself. "What sort of business?"

"Well, my daughter is very special and somehow a group of scholars here knew 'bout it. Two years ago they sent one of their own to tutor her. That boy didn't know much 'bout Texas and rattlesnakes. Let's just say he found out the hard way." The chicken and potatoes were served and he paused to help himself. "Anyhow, they sent another and that ole boy tried to get Gale to keep her tutoring secret from me and her ma. Then the yellow belly tried to keep me an' my posse from helpin' her out with some of the vermin. I didn't take to well to that advice and sent him packin'. They got a might ornery 'bout that."

The tale fascinated Elisabeth. "How angry were they?"

"Well, the yellow belly did have a bit of buckshot in his…."

"Peas," Anne offered.

"So your daughter confides in you about ….stuff and you help her," Elisabeth stated.

"Of course, matter fact that's why I visited. Trying to make peace with the tutors," Ezra stated.

"Did everything go alright?"

"Not so much," he replied. "They informed me that they didn't want her to be a teacher which she has her heart set on. Then I found out about a nasty little test they planned to give my daughter when she turned eighteen. Me an' my two friends convinced them not to and never to step foot in Texas."

Elisabeth passed him the sweet cream butter and more rolls. "Who are your two friends?"

"Smith & Wesson," he replied.

While everyone else at the table found Ezra entertaining and eccentric, she found him highly informative.

The evening of the Darlington Christmas Ball, Elisabeth regally entered the grand ballroom wearing a scarlet long-sleeved princess cut velvet gown that clung to her figure. William proudly stood next to her in a long tale tux and vest that matched her dress. Next to them, Jane practically glowed wearing a deep green velvet dress in the exact style as Elisabeth with Justin wearing a vest to match. The music started and they danced amongst their elegantly dressed peers in the candlelit grand ballroom. Sprigs of strategically placed mistletoe provided ample opportunity to sneak kisses.

After several dances, both couples socialized. During that time, Jane noticed that Cecily started moseying towards William with Elisabeth nowhere near. Immediately, Jane bumped into him and cleared her throat loudly. As her pushed back his spectacles, he looked down at her. "Do you wish to…?"

"Yes, come on," Jane replied grabbing his arm and practically dragged him to the dance floor.

On the other side of the ballroom, Elisabeth chatted with Madam Leveau and some of her friends about fashion when Justin noticed Wellington heading her way. Since it would be rude to ignore him, she let him speak to her away from the other ladies but well in the public eye. Once Justin saw where they headed, he intercepted and stood beneath the mistletoe just as they arrived. Elisabeth rolled her eyes. "Justin look up," she stated.

"Oh my," he said.

"We have to avoid bad luck." She kissed his cheek. "Lord Wellington, you wished to speak to me."

He glared at Justin. "Only to apologize for my prior behavior. If you ever need anything, I am at your disposal."

"I accept your apology. If you'll excuse me, Justin promised me this dance."

Justin flashed a Cheshire grin. "Sorry about that old chap but I'm ever so popular," he stated in a high British accent before he whisked her away on the dance floor.

"Thanks," she said. Then she nodded towards Jane. "Jane is absolutely glowing. What's going on with you two?"

"Nothing," he said.

"Don't nothing me," she stated. "What did you two do?"

Justin's dark eyes darted around the room. "It has to do with a strawberry pebble."

_*Oh My God! The strawberry pebble!* _Elisabeth blushed then she glared at him. "She wants to wait for marriage."

"We are waiting for the important things but that doesn't mean we can't have fun, Sister Elisabeth of the Immaculate Engagement."

As Justin chuckled softly, Elisabeth gasped and kept quiet. _*He figured out what William and I do!*_

Moments later, they danced near to William and Jane. Both men twirled the girls and then switched partners.

At one of the tables adorned with a red table cloth and a silver candle encased in a wreath of holly, a slightly older man and a young woman scowled ignoring the beauty and festive feelings surrounding them. Cecily's blue eyes gazed at the couples dancing, specifically William and Elisabeth. "So you couldn't get her alone could you?"

"No but I did get her exactly where I want her," Lord Wellington coolly replied.

"Are you going to get them to call off the wedding?"

"No because once they are married she'll come to realize something about him that the aristocracy already knows," drawled Wellington.

"What's that?"

"How insignificant William really is. Once she realizes that and is bored with him, I will become her lover, all of the benefits with none of the commitment." He swigged some Champaign. "You can have everything you want as well."

Cecily sipped some mulled wine. "How do you mean?"

"You love William's attentions but he is untitled and therefore unsuitable for a husband."

Cecily gazed at the once shy intellectual who now exuded a confidence she found attractive. "At one time, I wouldn't have even wanted his attentions. I think I know what you're suggesting and it just wouldn't do."

"You need a marriage with wealth and title. I have just the answer." He pointed to a feeble elderly man. "You should marry Lord Hallsworth."

"That decrepit old man," she stated.

"That rich widowed old lord who has no living relatives and whose doctor says has only a few months to live. A young woman married to such a man could easily be a mistress to a lonely but devoted newlywed whose beautiful wife is preoccupied with her lover."

"What if they don't bore of one another or even if they do what if they refuse to cheat on one another?"

"As long as it looks like they are," he replied. "I merely need to step it up and make them think the other is cheating with a few carefully written notes." He held up a shopping list that Elisabeth made and a short note from William. "We just need to practice our forgery skills."

"Oh cousin, why didn't we ever team up before?"


	15. A Victorian Christmas

Chapter 15 A Victorian Christmas

Late in the morning, William stretched out on the couch and smiled when he thought about his past weekend. On Saturday, he attended a festive holiday party his gorgeous fiancée followed by a Sunday doing naughty things with her in the park after church. Before he put his feet on the floor, he scanned the area for tacks or the tell-tale newspaper which could have a bowl of oatmeal, hot water, ice water or anything else uncomfortable sitting on top of it waiting for him to put his feet down. Then he walked into the bathroom carefully checking the tub before he bathed. After his bath, he stood before the mirror contemplating his lack of a beard and mustache. Elisabeth liked him clean shaven. Little did she realize that he couldn't grow a beard or mustache to save his life. He could go another day without shaving.

However, Justin needed to shave so William dumped glue into his shaving cup and rubbed the bristles of his shaving brush in it. Over the past few weeks William realized that brotherhood entailed endless practical jokes followed by torture. Pa and Ma Sweeney had six children: Galen, Cayden, Megan, Trevor, Sorcha and lastly Keegan. Keegan, meaning little fierce one, had been aptly named since he was the runt of the bunch both in age and size relative to the other males. Though his brothers picked on him mercilessly, they taught him to fight. During his schooling, Keegan chose to be known by his middle name to fit into society better.

With Christmas a week away and his wedding two weeks away, the women occupying the Pratt household frantically readied for both. Both he and Justin were told to "stay out of the way or they would only get underfoot." Justin made plans for them tonight but today was the day that William would pick up Elisabeth's present. As William ate his breakfast, he heard Justin roll out of bed. Just as he finished the last of his boiled egg, William deduced that Justin discovered his prank.

"Cac!" *Shit!*

"Ultionis est dulcis!" *Revenge is sweet!* William grabbed his wallet and coat.

"Go hIfreann leat William! *To hell with you William!*

"Latin est lingua of scholasticus dum Gaelic est lingua of hooligans." * Latin is the language of scholars while Gaelic is the language of hooligans.* With that, William left to shop for Christmas presents.

Very late that afternoon, William and Justin left for the docks. Near the docks, they stopped at a pub. The worn wooden sign on the outside read "Harps." All of Justin's brothers greeted them the moment they went in. "It's Runt and William." Each of the brothers was born between two and three years apart with Justin born last and five years after his sister Sorcha. As his mother's last hoorah, he was indeed the smallest of the strapping band of brothers though they all looked alike.

Cayden lumbered over and placed a hand on each of their shoulders and guided them towards a table. "Get in here. Dinner is about to be served."

"What's on the menu?" William asked craning his neck upwards to Cayden.

"Corned beef and cabbage," he replied. "It's the best around, even better than Ma's."

William seated himself amongst the Sweeney brothers. Gaylen winked. "We have a surprise for you later, a real special one."

A barmaid started bringing plates of food for them as well as bread and butter. "What sort of surprise?"

"A rather busty one who is more than willing," Trevor replied.

"Thanks but no thanks," William answered. "I love Elisabeth and I'm about to be married."

"We know. This your stag party." Trevor handed him a hard apple cider.

"I appreciate it but I promised to be faithful to Elisabeth." William savored a bite of the peppery corned beef that had a hint of mustard and honey flavorings.

"Told you so," Justin said to his brothers. "I'm sure he'll be up for the rest of the entertainment."

"So Elisabeth gave you the boot for the month," Trevor commented. "It's for the best."

"I don't think so. I haven't seen her hardly at all."

"Right before the wedding the bride's catch wedding fever. They go crazy."

After dinner, the drinking began and more patrons strolled in. Some took exception to Justin and William, recognizing them as more gentry than dockworker material. Immediately, Justin's brothers closed in and the others backed away. "Dock eleven in an hour," Justin stated.

"But you picked on Justin when he was a child," William stated.

Trevor and Cayden grabbed William and Justin in a headlock and tousled their hair. "No one but us picks on our runts."

Later that night in a warehouse at Dock eleven, the Sweeney brothers and several patrons from Harps gathered around a makeshift boxing ring. "Do you want to do this William?"

"I certainly don't want to fight you or your brothers. I think I can handle him though." He pointed to one of the grunts that harassed him a little at Harp's Bar. The man had at least forty pounds on him.

"Remember to hit him where it counts, pull from your passion and don't let him land any punches," advised Justin.

When William entered the ring, he pictured his opponent as Lord Wellington. Immediately, the man lunged at him but his movements were slow so William dodged. With that open opportunity, William came in close and punched him several times like lightening before he ducked away. Several times they danced the familiar dance until his opponent went down for the count. A few more fights occurred between various opponents as well as some betting that he jovially participated in. William went home that night feeling exuberant, a little richer, slightly bruised and looking forward to Christmas.

On Christmas Day, Elisabeth spotted William's carriage when it was nearly two blocks away due to the sparseness of the now barren snow covered trees. Quickly, she finished combing her hair and bolted down the stairs just as he entered the house. As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she leapt into his arms. William's tongue danced in her mouth for a long passionate kiss.

When Anne cleared her throat, William pulled away. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. I've so busy with the wedding. I mean I never thought this would happen." Then she remembered their wedding preparations they had been doing. "Mum is the dress hidden?"

"Yes dear, it's in the spare room."

"I want you to be surprised on our wedding day."

William put his arm around her and absently stroked the maroon velvet of her dress. "I know I'll love your dress." Then he glanced towards his mother who waited in the next room. "Mum, I can see you two are getting along."

"Your mother insisted I call her mum. She's been teaching me all about wedding traditions. It's a bit overwhelming. Did you know that there's sometimes gambling at bachelor parties to help the groom win money for his marriage?"

"That makes sense," William stated as he thought back to his winnings during his bachelor party.

"You didn't see any nuns or monks the day you proposed did you?"

"No, I didn't and I hadn't seen any in a long time. Why?" He noted how anxious his fiancée seemed.

"I'm not really sure but your mother wanted to know. It was very important that you didn't see any because they were a bad omen of some sort." Elisabeth bustled about lighting some candles. "Did you see any pigeons that day before you proposed?"

"Actually, I fed a few that day like I always do."

"That will bring good luck." Elisabeth rushed about making sure everything was in its place. "Marry when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true. Your mother taught me that. Since we're getting married on the first of January. That will be especially true. Oh and did you know that it's very good that our surnames start with different letters?"

As he watched his slightly crazy bride-to-be, William shook his head in denial and awe. *She's caught bridal fever, just like Trevor said she would.* She moved about a twice her normal speed.

"It's bad luck if they don't. To change the name and not the letter is to change for the worst and not the better. Don't worry I haven't said or written my name as it will be once we're married. That's bad luck. Oh, how did your fitting go?"

"Fitting," he said.

"Oh my God! Your suit isn't finished!"

"My tailor finished my suit two weeks ago. I tried it on and it's fine." William poured a glass of port wine. "You should drink this to calm your nerves." When the dinner bell rang and Elisabeth had already drank her glass of wine, William breathed a sigh of relief. Elisabeth's wedding fever was about to drive him mad.

William sat at the head of the table and Elisabeth sat to his right. During dinner of turkey with sage and onion dressing, everyone chatted about the upcoming nuptials and various festivities. Elisabeth noticed William looking at the turkey curiously. "From now on we'll be having turkey instead of goose. Goose sounds yucky." She then sipped her last bit of shrub before pouring a second glass.

"Very well, you'll be the lady of the house and those are your decisions."

However, she allowed the oyster rolls to be served. As the sweet orange and brandy taste of shrub tantalized William's taste buds, he felt a warm foot dance around his ankles beneath his trousers but he ate as if nothing happened. Next to him, Elisabeth smiled slyly and enjoyed her second glass of shrub. When he felt her foot rubbing his crotch, William nearly choked on his stuffing. "You're quite nimble."

"Once we're married, I'll show you just how flexible I am." She sipped more shrub. "This is so yummy." She placed another roll in his plate. "These make you horny." She rubbed more making William stiff as a board. "I told you so."

William always knew to wear loose trousers when he was with Elisabeth. Tonight he would finish the job she started. "It's not the oysters."

"I can't believe we'll be married in a week, finally."

"I'll finally be able to finish everything you start," he remarked.

"I have no idea what you mean," she said shyly.

William reached down and tickled the foot that rested in his crotch which made her giggle softly like the rest of their whispered conversation. "You give another performance like this one and I'll shag you on right on top of the dinner table next time."

"That wouldn't be proper behavior for an Englishman."

"My naughty little American vixen drives me to it."

After the royal mince pies, they adjourned to the living room to open presents. The tree sparkled with color foil wrapped candies, popcorn garland, cranberry garland, candy canes and gingerbread men. Everyone chipped in and gave Anne a hand carved marble chess set because of her love of parlor games. For her part, she gave both girls scrap books. To her son, she gave a pocket watch and to Justin a silver book clip. William and Justin exchanged liquor with Justin getting Russian vodka and William getting German wine. Elisabeth gave Jane a lace shawl and she gave her a crystal bobech. Elisabeth gave Justin an Irish clover wood plaque with a Gaelic prayer on it and in turn he gave her a book about sewing.

Three parcels from the states sat beneath the tree. Anne handed one to William, one to Justin and she kept one for herself. "Ezra sent these for the happy couples to enjoy."

William opened the box to find a long black caped frock coat just like he wore at Halloween. "Will, your little filly loved the coat so I had one made for you both to enjoy. Ezra."

Justin held up a long black frock coat like he had worn on Halloween. While their fillies fondled the frock coats, William and Justin silently exchanged a knowing nod. Anne politely excused herself and tended to kitchen matters. Justin took Jane's hand and they took their presents into the parlor for a private gift exchange.

Elisabeth and William kneeled before the Christmas tree and handed each other their gifts. Elisabeth opened hers to find a sterling silver hair comb with little emerald peonies across the top. "It's beautiful."

William opened his heavy present to reveal a monogrammed gold leaf leather bound journal with an embossed butterfly in the corner. "I love it."

"Merry Christmas William," she said.

"Happy Christmas Elisabeth," he said.

William then pulled her close for a wicked snogging session.


End file.
